Evening star., 1948-11-23
Douglas Is PVT Forward
As MorshutI's Successor
Friends Want Justise to Quit Bench
As Stepping Stone to 1882 Race
The Political MIN
By Gould lincoln


The friends of Associate Justice William o.
Douglas of the Supreme Court do not give up
easily. They want to see him in the White
House Their latest move is to have him con.
sidered favorably for appointment as Secre-
tary of State, in the event Gen. George C.
Marshall retires from that post. Apparently
their idea is that Justice Douglas should get
off the bench and back into political life.
and that an important cabinet post would be
the best stepping stone for higher things.
In justice to Justice Douglas it, must be
said that he is doing his job on the court
and making no personal effort for political
preferment at this time. He has, however.
been the fair-haired boy of many of the old
Roosevelt New Dealers-now out OF office.
And they may be counted on to do their ut
most to advance him politically.
II Justice Douglas has political ambitions
and again in fairness to him it should be said
he has given no intimation of such ambi-
tions-he certainly missed the boat last July.
When the Democratic National Convention
was getting underway and it became apparent
that nothing could halt President Truman's
nomination for President, emissaries of the
White House tried their best to persuade Mr.
Douglas to agree to run for Vice President
on the Truman ticket. Mr. Douglas, from a
vacation point on the Pacific Coast declined
finally to have anything to do with such a
nomination.
Lost Strategic Chance.
Had Justice Douglas accepted the invitation
and stood for the vice presidential nomination,
which with the backing of the Truman forces
he could have had in all probability no
would be sitting in strategic position today.
President Truman's friends insist he will not
be a candidate to succeed himself in 1852
and he has indicated as much himself JUS
tice Douglas would have been the logical
man to head the ticket four years hence.
The Americans for Democratic Action-an
organization made up largely of old Roosevelt
New Dealers-fought hard to bring about the
elimination of Mr.. Truman and the substitute
ton of Gen. Eisenhower or Justice Douglas
as the Democratic nominee for President Gen.
Eisenhower would not stand for the nomina-
tion-and Justice Douglas couldn't get it.
When it came to the vice presidential nomina-
ton Justice Douglas made up his own mind
against taking it-a vice presidential nomina-
ton would have in those days appeared long.
long chance.
1t is said in Justice Douglas defense that
he never had any desire to be Vice President.
Nothing is said however, to the effect he
would oppose presidential nomination for
himself. And If Mr.. Douglas had hankerlns
for the presidency, he should have known last
July that Mr.. Truman. would in all probability
step aside in 1882, leaving the way open.
Others Mentioned.
There were others mentioned as potentlai
vice presidential candidates with Mr.. 1ru-
man. Senator Scott Lucas OF Illinois, Key
State In the voting-was one OF them. Bus
Senator Lucas, too, got around to staune
he was not candidate for the vice presiden-
tial nomination. That was earlier in the game.
The Democratic organization in Chicago, un-
der the leadership of Jake Arvey, was intent
on shunting President Truman aside and
picking another presidential candidate, ON
the ground that Mr.. Truman could not win.
It is argued that Vice Presidents are not
nominated for President except in the case
II Vice Presidents who have entered the
White House because of the death of Presi-
nts Martin Van Buren,, Vice President III
rksons administration, was nominated 1or
Asident on Jacksons insistence. Theodore
Rsevelt, Vice President in the second Nc
KEY administration would have been
hal man to keep away from q presidential
noloa even if Mckinley had lived out
his I'm. Vice President-elect Barkley will be
II Yrs old when his term of office begins
and / would not in all probability seek a
presiAtial nomination in 1852, at the age
Of IA
Havt been turned down by Mr. Douglas
on theyice presidential nomination. there
seems particular reason why Mr.. Truman
should ek the Supreme Court Justice for
place his cabinet