Evening star., 1948-07-12
Plea 10 Bar virginians
Who Won 'tVow Party
Loyalty Up for Hearing
BY the A,socio,sd Press

PHILADELPHIA, July 12.-The
Credentials Committee of the
National Democratic Convention
will hold hearings today on a
request that the Virginia dele
cation be barred unless its dele
gates individually subscribe to a
party loyalty pledge.
Mrs. Mary Norton, New Jersey
House member and chairman of the
committee, described the request as
something completely new" She
said Saturday that she did not
know whether there were any
precedents for it in national con-
vention.
The protest of seating the Old
Dominion delegation was to come
from group of Virginia Democrats
headed by Martin A. Hutchinson,
Richmond attorney who heads the
anti-organization wing of the party;
Col. Francis Pickens Miller Of
Charlottesville, and Henry H.
Fowler of Alexandria.
Mayor Horace H. Edwards OF
Richmond, rejected an invitation by
Mr.. Hutchinson to join the group
in appearing before the credentials
committee. Mr.. Edwards said in
Richmond last night that he had
no comment on the letter he re-
ceived from Mr.. Hutchinson invit-
ing him to participate.
Foe of ti-Truman Forces.
In a telegram to Mrs. Norton,
Mr.. Hutchinson, an outspoken foe
of the new Virginia Anti-Truman
law under which the States domi-
nant Democratic organization has
posed the threat Of a bolt from the
National Party, challenged the right
of Virginia Democrats to be seated
in the convention unless:
" They are individually will
ing to sign and subscribe to 10y
atty pledge similar to that found in
the Virginia Democratic Party
plan"
He charged that Virginia Demo-
Gratis came to Philadelphia prepared
to reconvene the State party con-
vention later "for the unexpressed,
but apparent purpose Of repudiat-
ing the actions of the National con-
vention, If such actions be not in
accord with the views and wishes of
our so-called party leaders here in
Virginia"
Law Permits Separate Ticket.
Virginia's anti-Truman law, en-
acted by the 1948 General Assem-
bly, at the urging of Gov. Tuck as
part of the Dixie revolt against the
Presidents civil rights program,
empowers the State Democratic
convention to put up its own presi-
Dental ticket under the liberal
Democratic Party of Virginia.
Mr.. Hutchinson, who made an
unsuccessful fight against Senator
Byrd in the primary two years ago,
told Mrs. Norton he spoke ION be-
half of the loyal and true Demo-
Gratis of Virginia" His wire said in
part:
THE Virginia convention, at which
delegates were elected, adopted a
formal platform enunciating the
doctrine that the National Demo-
cratic Party is merely federation
of state parties and that each state
has the right and authority to de-
termine its own course of action
THE said convention also by
formal resolution empowered the
Democratic State Central Commit
tee of Virginia to reconvene the
State convention at a later date for
the unexpressed but apparent pur-
pose of repudiating the actions OF
the national convention, if such ac-
tions be not in accord with the views
and wishes of our so-called party
leaders here in Virginia.
"We must respectfully protest the
right of Virginia's delegates, under
these conditions, to participate in
the national convention unless they
are individually willing to sign and
subscribe to loyalty pledge similar
to that found in the Virginia Demo-
cratic Party plan"