Evening star., 1948-06-06
Truman Support
Issue in Fight Of
D. {. Delegates
Slate of Four Filed
By Americans for
Democratic Action
By Cholmers M. Roberts

BY ChoImers N. Roberts
An election fight between pro-
Truman and open states
is in prospect for June IA when
District Democrats vote for their
six delegates to the Democratic
National Convention.
More than 1s" candidates had
filed for the six posts at the Friday
night deadline, according to Melvin
D. Hildreth. District Democratic
chairman He said the names will
not be made public, however, until
after credentials committee
headed by one of the candidates
checks the names to be sure each
is Democrat and at least FIVE
year resident of Washington.
The committee secretary, Mrs. Al
mira T. Bramhall, told The Star as
far as she is concerned no names
will be made public before the day
Of election"
Slate of Six Favors Truman.
In such a case, voters would not
even know who the candidates are
until they walk into the polling
places a week from tomorrow. How
ever, names of many of the candl-
dates are known.
A full slate of six, headed by Mr..
Hildreth, favors denomination OF
President Truman. The District
Democratic Central Committee
already has Endorsed the President.
But a slate of four, all mem
bers of the i-Communist liberal
Americans for Democratic Action,
also has filed. According to Joseph
L. Rauh, jr., one of the four, If the
pro-Truman group want scrap,
we're all set. We're not trying to
dodge it. We've plenty OF workers
to ring doorbells."
Mr. Rauh said he had told Mr.
Hildreth I'VE prefer to have race
but that Mr.. Hildreth Indicated
1t might not be necessary. Inc
ADA group is entering candidates
for national committeeman and Tor
the central committee, also to be
named June IA.
Ballot to List Truman.
Mr.. Rauh, an attorney, is chair
man of ADA's national executive
committee. ADA is on record as
favoring an "open" convention, one
in which the delegates are free to
make their own Ichoices. ADAs
recent national convention made 1t
clear the group prefer either Gen
Eisenhower or Supreme Court JUS
tice Douglas to Mr.. Truman.
Mr.. Rauh said, however, that, MS
group will not ask for votes Tor
either Gen. EinsenhoWer or Justice
Douglas. but rather would ask only
that they not be instructed to vote
for Mr.. Truman. This may be dill
ficult, however. as 4 practical mat
ter. .e-.... .,-@s ss-r.,s.s.s,
voters on June IA will give local
Democrats a chance to name thelr
preference for the party nomination.
It will have printed on it however,
onlv President Truman's name al
though there will be blank space
for write-ins. Mr.. Hlldretn salo
the six delegates would be bound
tn vote for President Truman, II
he is top man in the primary.
Hildreth An ADA Member.
In previous presidential primaries,
however. the ballot has included
this question for District Democrats
to answer:
"Shall they (the delegates> con-
tinue voting for candidates receiving
highest number of votes at primary
election until a majority OF the dele
gates decide otherWise?'
It was not clear last night Wheth-
er this question would be on the
ballot next week.
Recently some Eisenhower sup
porters suggested putting the gen
erals name on the District ballot
but. Mr.. Hildreth said, Gen. ElSen-
hover wired the committee "abso-
lutely forbidding" use of his name.
The party ruckus here has other
curious aspects, it appeared last
night. First of all, Mr.. >Hlldreth
himself is an ADA member and Is
considered a liberal by that group.
But he has been a consistent sup
porter of President Truman and is
most anxious that the District dele
CATION be pro-Truman at the con-
vention.
Names Pro-Truman Group.
Mr.. Hildreth, before leaving for
New Mexico for the weekend to at
tend his daughters school gradu-
alton, told The Star that he and
five others would constitute a pro-
Truman slate. The others he
named are Mrs. J. Borden Harri-
man. now national committee
woman. John Wattawa, Brig. Gen.
Albert L. Cox, William L. Houston
and James Francis Riley. Mr.. Riley
is chairman of the credentials COM
mittee which must approve the cam
didates. Mr.. Hildreth said.
Mr. Rauh told The Star that he
and three other ADA members were
in Mr.. Hildreth's Office in the Evans
Building at the filing time deadline,
pm. last Friday. Mr.. Rauh said
Mr.. Hildreth told him at 4:45 pm.
that only II persons had filed. Mr..
Rauh said he remained until $50
pm and that no other person ap-
peared to file. A 5000 fee is required
of all candidates for delegates.
Mr.. Rauh said further that Mr..
Hildreth told him that there would
be no contest, that some of the II
would withdraw and that the re-
naming candidates would all go as
delegates by splitting the Districts
six votes into fractions.
No Law Governs Set-up.
Mr.. Hildreth said, however, that
under rules of the Democratic Con-
vention votes must be either full
votes or half votes and that no other
fraction is permitted.
The confusion over candidates and
delegates springs from the fact that
the local Democratic election ma
chinery is purely private matter
in the District. Unlike any of the
48 States in which delegates are
named, there is no law to govern
. their selection