Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-07-14
President Expected
To Accept Nomination
In Speech Tonight ,
Ry Gould Lincoln
BY Gould Lincoln
Stor Stoff Correspondent

PHILADELPHIA, July IA
Anti Truman Southern dele
gates to the Democratic National
Convention failed today to get
behind the candidacy of Gov.
Ben Laney of Arkansas and be-
gan splitting up their votes for
other Southern candidates for
President.
AS the strife-ridden convention
pointed toward the nomination of
a Truman-Barkley ticket. the Geor-
gia delegation planned to place
Senator Russell of that State in
nomination Louisiana delegates
said they will offer the name of Gov
Earl Long.
It was almost certain that Gov
Laney's name also would be offered.
The Southerners acknowledged they
have no hope of blocking the NOM
nation of President Truman and
would offer their candidates only as
a gesture of resentment and de-
fiance.
WaIkOuts Predicted.
Handy Ellis, chairman of the
Alabama delegation. said l3 of that
States 26 delegates will walk out
of the convention after the nomina-
ton of Mr. Truman. The Walkout
of other Southern delegates from
Arkansas, Mississippi and South
Carolina was also predicted.
The convention opened at 1913
am. nearly an hour earlier than
usual, with delegates facing party
platform fight. A vigorous attack
by Southern delegates on the civil
rights plank was in the offing.
Chairman McGrath of the Demo-
cratic National Committee expressed
anew hope that the convention
would be able to conclude its labors
before adjournment tonight. Only
a long fight over the platform. he
said. could prevent that.
Shepard Opens Session.
The convention was opened today
with a prayer by the Rev. Marshall
L. Shepard of Philadelphia's Mount
Ohvet Baptist Church-the same
Negro preacher who delivered the
prayer at the 1886 convention when
the late Senator Smith of South
Carolina walked out Mr.. Shepard is
now recorder of deeds for the Dis
trict of Columbia, position to-
which he was appointed by Presl- /
dent Roosevelt in 1914.
With his nomination APPARENTLY
assured, Mr.. Truman will come here
to deliver an acceptance speech IN
person, Senator McGrath an
nounced. The President will be &C
companied by Mrs. Truman and
their daughter Margaret.
Some Southern delegates unrec-
onciled to Mr.. Truman were making
overtures toward Senator Barley
as the No. l candidate. But Sen
ator Barley, in line for the vice
presidential nomination with wei
come" from the President, sought to
put an end to these gestures with
the statement that he would not
take first place on the ticket Under
any circumstances.
Gov. Beauford Jester of Texas
went to the convention platform
last night to tell Senator Barley,
convention temporary chairman,
that he had been approached by
Kentucky and Texas delegations
favoring the Kentuckian for Presl-
dent.
Il will not be party to it." Sen
ator Barley replied. L would not
condone such movement.
Barley Disturbed by Move.
Later Senator Barley was OBJ
viously disturbed over reports that
Alabama and Texas were proposing
to place him in nomination for
President.
If any such attempt is made, Sen
ator Barley will take the platform
Immediately and denounce the plan,
Truman adherents said. The move
was regarded by them as "dlaboh-
CAL scheme of the Southern anti
Truman delegates. 1t would be en-
barrassing to the Kentucky Senator
In the extreme, they saiu.
Senator Pepper of Florida, who
two days ago announced himself a
candidate for the presidential NOM
ination about whom liberal and
Roosevelt Democrats could rally,
bowed himself out last night. He
found there were either no liberal
and Roosevelt Democrats-or that
he had no appeal for them.
Senator Pepper attacked the pres
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