Evening star., 1948-09-19
DenocratAction
Virginia Over
Party Rift Nears
Showdown Moy Come
Saturday; Optimistic
6. o. P. Reveals PIons
BY the Assoeiotsd Press

". ~. 70 NSVS0tS i6hS
BY the Assoeioisd Press
RICHMOND. Va. Sept 18.-The
big showdown Of l948 in Virginia's
Democratic Party politics may come
at next Saturdays meeting here OF
the Democratic State Central Com
mittee.
Should the Central Committee.
official guiding body of the State
party, take It's stand with the ma
tional party? Or with the Thur
mond- Wright ticket of the States
Rights Democrats? And what should
IL do with some $12 900 in campaign
money raised by last springs jack
son Day dinner?
These are the main questions that
will be put to the committee at its
session in the Hotel Richmond next
Saturday afternoon.
Republicans Optimistic.
Meanwhile, Virginia Republicans.
riding a wave of optimism churned
up by discord among Old Dominion
Democrats over President Truman,
disclosed some campaign plans de-
signed to make the most OF their
biggest opportunity in 20 years.
A partial lineup of campaign ora
tors and COP rally plans was an
nouneed today by Earle Lutz, execu-
tive director and campaign manager
for the Republicans in Virginia.
Booked for major speeches were
Senator Taft Of Ohio, at winchester.
with october as the tentative date:
Senator Cain of Washington. at
Lexington, october IS: National Re-
publican Chairman Hugh Scott, at
Charlottesville about September IS"
and tentatively at Ashland for mid
October.
Woods to Open Campaign.
These were added to the earlier.
disclosed plans for an address by
Gov. Dewey himself, at a date and
place still unfixed; Harold E. Stas-
sen, at Charlottesville and the Uni.
versity of Virginia. probably in Oc-
tober, and Gov. Warren, vice presi-'
dental nominee, who may not come
to Virginia but Is hoped-for some
time after october IS.
Robert H. Woods of Pearisburg.
State COP chairman and nominee
for the United States Senate, will
open the Republican State CAM
paign Saturday with an address
over a network of u Virginia radio
stations. The speech will be the
first in series of similar 12-station
programs.
The Republicans also are working
up plans for big rallies in Fauquier
County on October 16 at Culpeper
on October %.
Lutz Hopes For 3 to S Seats.
Mr. Lutz spoke confidently Of the
Republicans winning three to- five
seats in Congress" and said they
see "an excellent chance to carry
the State for Mr.. Woods now that
the American Federation of Labor,
has turned thumbs down on Sena-
tor Robertson"
This was a reference to the fact
that Mr.. Robertson was not in
cluded in a list of IS Senators for
whom the AFL Political League an.
:lounced its support last week.
In the Democratic ranks. Frank
P. Burton. jr., Virginia, chairman
of the States Rights group, today
accused Messrs. Truman, Wallace
and Dewey of creating race is.
sue" and seeking to drag this dead
herring across the trail in an effort
to obscure the real issue" in tina
presidential campaign.
States Rights Rallies to Start.
In a prepared statement. the
head of the Thurmond-Wright sup
porters in Virginia declared "the
paramount issue is whether the in
iividual States of this Union shall
surrender to bureaucratic Federal
Government, with a communistic or
at best socialistic tinge, those fun
damental rights vouchsafed to them
by the Constitution which is the
text and the foundation of the
American democratic system
The Burton statement came as
the States Fighters prepared to
open this week a series OF organiza-
ton rallies in the various congress
sional districts.
The States Fighters have sched-
uled five district meetings for next
week. They are the 9Th district. at
Salem, Monday; 7th district, Har-.
risonburg, Tuesday: 9th district,
Charlottesville, Wednesday, and
Arlington, Thursday, and 5th dis
trict, Martinsville, Friday.
! May Dodge Committal.
The official attitude of dominant
Democratic organization leaders in
dicates the committee may dodge
any formal committal on the presi-
dental issue at the central COM
mittee meeting Saturday. This
could be done by setting up cam
paign plan to concentrate on elect
ing Democratic nominees for the
Senate and House of Representa-
tives and ignoring the presidential
nominees.
1t is fairly certain, however, that
the issue will be presented clearly
| to the committee.
Arlington Woman Heads
Virginia Catholic Group
Miss Frances E. Appict of Arling-