Evening star., 1948-07-12

Gratis seem already to have outdone
the Republicans. They have gooc
deal more bunting in the hall thar
the COP found time to hang. Ir
addition to the flag and red-white
and blue fan drapes, they have
introduced a new note of color by
dropping large banners at regulal
intervals from the balcony railings
On the proscenium arch behinc
the speakers platform are large
photographs of the late President
Roosevelt and President Truman.
Cooler Than for G. o. p.
Otherwise, convention hall look!
pretty much the way it did for thu
Republicans. So far, it is little
cooler than it was when the Repub-
lcans occupied it, perhaps reflect
ing strained relationships among
some of the factions represented
here.
On Saturday the die-hard sup
porters of Gen. Eisenhower hung
portrait of their hero in the
front of the speakers rostrum, the
most conspicuous position in the
hall. Today, it has been replaced
by the great seal of the United
States. Neither the general, Justice
Douglas, Senator Pepper. Gov. Laney
of Arkansas nor any of the other
rivals" of the President have theil
faces before the convention this
morning.
Organ Plays missouri Waltz"
At 11:40 am. the great organ
of the hall cut loose with its first
burst of song-the Missouri Waltz.
The Presidents favorite tune was
followed by the Donkey Serenade
and They Say That Falling in
Love Is Wonderful" Then Howard
Lanin's orchestra, in the back OF
the hall where Meyer Davis played
for the Republicans, took over the
musical prelude.
The assembling delegates ap-
plauded mildly when the orchestra S
first number turned out to be the
Missouri Waltz" again. But the
first sizeable war-whoop of the
convention came when Mr.. Lanin
led his musicians into a Southern
medley including "Swanee River
and Dixie"
Those delegates who did not have
caucuseS to attend seized the chance
this morning to catch an extra houl
or two of sleep, and the hall filled
slowly up to 12:30-thereafter with
a rush. The galleries remained
sparsely populated, although g
festive note was added by few OBJ
servers who had brought with them
some of those little whistles people
blow while they throw confetti or
New Years Eve.
Has been Dispirited Affair.
This morning, in Convention Hall
there was feeling of excitement
in the air.
But in the days leading up to
this mornings kickoff, with pre-
convention activities spread around
town in a dozen or so hotels. the
Democratic show generally has been
dispirited affair. Traditionally
these warm-up days provide almost
as much excitement and color as
the scene in the hall during con-
vention week itself. 1t is supposed
to be a time of tense conferences
and exuberant greetings, fantastic
publicity stunts and milling, swelling
crowds. This time, it has been moth
ing of the sort.
In contrast to the Republicans
whose convention last month at
tracted a horde of curious visitors
estimated to have numbered per-
haps 100000 the 1892 Democratic
delegates and alternateS seem to
nave brought practically nobody
here but themselves. There are al
ways the reporters. of course-some
1,500 of Jhem-Tho so far have
spent most of their time interview
ing one another. There has been
little else to do.
Yesterday was the first day when
there Wa any Sier Of CroWding and