Evening star., 1948-07-17
The Political Mil.
The Political Mil
Loyal Rebels Of the Past
Seek to Heal Party Rift


Seek to HeoI Party Rift
Democrats Who Fought Truman
May Still Sell Him Down, River
By Gould Lincoln
The Democrats have q new word Tor It
loyal rebels of the past" The phrase was
coined by James Roosevelt, son Of the late
President and Democratic State chairman
and national committeeman for California.
Mr.. Roosevelt, who came to Philadelphia for
the recent Democratic National Convention
demanding the total elimination Of Presi-
dent Truman from the partys ticket, used the
phrase to describe himself when he was adj
dressing meeting of the National Committee
after Mr.. Trumans nomination.
These so-called "loyal rebels" are big hunk
Of the Democratic leadership in the big States
of the Union. How loyal they will be to Mr..
Truman from now on remains to be seen. They
did not want Mr.. Truman nominated, because,
as they frankly said, they did not think he
could win and his nomination would >injure
their own State and local Democratic tickets.
There are signs, despite the hat throwing that
is going on at present, that they may still sell
Mr.. Truman down the river in an attempt 10
save their local candidates.
But at present they are going along with the
President They got considerable kick out OF
his "off the cuff" address to the convention in
Philadelphia. Those from the North and West
were encouraged by the action Of the conven-
ton when it wrote q stid Truman civil rights
plank into the national platform. They be.
lieve this may help the Democrats In big IN
tiustrial centers, particularly where Negroes
hold large potential vote.
Little Change in Situation.
Fundamentally, however, the political situa-
ton has changed little, except that the Demo-
Gratis of the South have been still further
alienated There are deep wounds nficted
by one faction Of the Democratic Party upon
another The Trumanites realize that only
by the grace of Gen. Eisenhower-who said
he would refuse presidential nomination
was it possible to bring about the nomination
of President Truman. The convention would
have turned the President down like flash
for Gen. Eisenhower, with the anti-Truman
Democrats in both the North and South SHOW
ing the knife in.
Indeed, the convention might have nomi-
mated Senator Barkley Of Kentucky Tor PreSl-
dent over Mr.. Truman, had not Senator Bark
ley put down his foot firmly against the plan.
p A hurried canvass Of the situation had been
made by delegates who favored Senator Bark
ley They found they could drum up block
of 500 delegate votes for the Kentuckian with
out trouble. 1t took only 618 to nominate, and
they were prepared to go right ahead Senator
Barkley made 1t known he would not 60 along
with such plan, even though he knew that
the White House was not overjoyed at the
prospect of having him as vice presidential
nominee The President was anxious to per-
suade Associate Justice Douglas of the Su-
preme Court to become his running mate
The Democrats today, however, are making
bid for party harmony. If they are to have
any chance at all, they must have harmony.
They face not a divided opposition. but oppo-
siticn that attacks from three angles. First
the Republican opposition, second the opposi-
ton of Henry Wallace and his New Party,
and third the opposition Of the South. 1t is in
reality desperate situation. There Is no rea-
son why the Republican Dewey-Warren ticket
should be expected to lose any Republican
votes. On the other hand, the Democrats
themselves will lose votes to Mr.. Wallace and
to the Southern faction Of the party.
Mutual Aid Pledged.
The President and Senator Barkley are both
pledging the utmost aid to one another In the
coming campaign. Mr.. Truman, by his call for
a special session. has placed added duties upon
both his running mate, Mr.. Barkley. who ts
minority leader of the Senate, and upon the
chairman of the Democratic National Com
mittee and campaign manager Senator NC
Grath of Rhode Island. 1t is on these two men.
too, that the President must rely for bringing
about a united front of the Democratic Party.
Both have a flair for that kind of work.
The Democratic vice presidential nominee Is
the first Senator to be placed on the partys
national ticket since the late Joe" Robinson
of Arkansas was named as running mate to
Gov. AL Smith of New York. the Democratic
standard bearer in 1928. Like Senator Robin
son, who was Democratic leader before Senator
Barkley took over that job, the Kentuckian Is
an inveterate and excellent story teller. He
has one that goes back to his first race for Q
seat in the House-to succeed the giant Ollie
James As Barkley tells 1t, he met q possible
constituent from the back country on the
street one morning and tried to tell him what
he. Barkley was trying to do. He said to the
countryman:
I'm running to fill Ollie James shoes"
| Barley at that time weighed not more than
140 pounds The countryman looked him over,
and said:
"The hell you are!"
That's what I'm doing" replied Barkley.
"Pardner,' the countryman finally COM
mented, you can't do It'll"
Answers to Questions
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BY THE HASKIN SERVICE
O. What surname occurs most frequently
among the colored people in the United States?
Fl. G. D.
A. The surname most common among the
Negroes Is Johnson
@. What States have had the largest in
creases in population since 194o?-B. A.
A. The Bureau of the Census says that the
following States showed the greatest gains
ln+-..,, foho ,nd 1oA7. rolifovpia A ner cent.