Evening star., 1948-12-14
The Political MN

Party, However, Il Expected 10 TakS
+. Wallace Aide Back Into Fold
By Gould Lincoln I
The Democrats Of the Senate have Q pnob-
lem child on their hands Senator Glen n,
Taylor Of Idaho, who Joined the Progressive
Party and ran for Vice President on the Henry
Wallace ticket in the recent election. Mr,
Taylor himself has said he intends to be, q
Democrat In the Senate ON matters of or.
ganization anyway He probably will 70 alorie
With the administration on domestic legisla.
tion. What he will do about its foreign policy,
which he and Mr.. Wallace denounced through.
out the campaign, Is another question -,
The Democrats, nevertheless, are sxpecsSd
to take Senator Taylor back into the fold.
He was elected % . Democrat back In 1914.
Further, the Democratic majority IN the SEN.
ate Is not too large. And there Is precedent
70 guide them. Former Senator Wheeler .of
Montana stepped OF the Democratic reserSa.
ton m 1924 to run for Vice President, too, oa
the Progressive ticket Of that year headed sby
the late Senator Bob La Toilette Of wisconah.
Mr. Wheeler could not stomach the Democratic
nominee for President, John w. Davis of Wsst
Virginia, nor Calvin Coolidge, the Republican
candidate. But after the election, which ths
Democrats lost, Mr.. Wheeler went back into
the Democratic Party, and the Democrats were
glad to have him at the time.
. rhu-r-s 34o
Another Of the problems for Senate Demo.
Gratis are those Senators who hail from the
Southern States which were carried by Gov.
Thurmond Of South Carolina, the Dixiecrst
presidential candidate Not all Of them cam.
paigned against the Trilman-Barkley ticket,
and some Of them sincerely hoped that the
President would be elected. One of the bit
terest OF them-against Mr.. Truman and for
Gov. Thurmond-was Senator Eastland of MIS-.
sissippi. 1t has been urged in some quarters
that an example be made Of the Mississippi
senator-even to reading him out of the party
and denying him his places on Senate COM
m1ttees as Democrat. ~
1t will be q difficult chore TO carry out such
. program Of punishment. Take the Senators
from Alabama, Messrs Hill and Sparkman.
They both had to come out against Mr.. Tru.
man In the preconvention campaign for dele
gates to the party's national convention-but
1t Is well understood that they personally were
not opposed to the President. Mr.. Truman's
name was barred from the ballot In Alabama,
Louisiana and South Carolina gave their
electoral votes to Gov. Thurmond, too-and
each has two Senators. Senator Johnston of
South Carolina kept mighty quiet during the
campaign. It may be he will be CHALLENGED
by Gov. Thurmond for his Senate seat when
the primaries roll around in 1885, Gov. Thur
mond carried his State against Mr.. Truman in
big way-on the States rights issue This
issue will be forced before the Senate, It Ii
expected. by President Truman, when he re.
news his demand for his civil rights program.
Senator Johnston will have to take his position
then, and 1t won't be on the side OF Mr.. Tr,.
man.
Taylor Runs Again In 80.
Senator Taylor, too, has to run again in
1850, and the voters in Idaho may decide
whether he Is q Democrat or not Senator
Eastland. on the other hand, has just been re-
elected for six year term. The Trumanites
will have long time to wait to get ut him.
The senatorial elections in 1850 will present
many other problems, both for the Democrats
and the Republicans. In the first place. Of
the 80 Senate seats for which contests will be
waged. 20 are held by Democrats and IL by
Republicans. There are contests In States
which the Democrats might conceivably lose,
and which the Republicans might fail to
carry. For example, Senators Wagner Of New
York and Myers Of Pennsylvania, both Demo-
Gratis and both among those whose seats will
be In jeopardy, might have . dificult time. On
the other side. Senator Taft of Ohio (who may
be opposed by Gov.-elect Lausche), Donnell Of
Missouri, and Capehart of Indiana, Republi.
cans, may have hard fights.
II Is conceivable that the Republicans may
regain what they have just 1ost-control of
the Senate-in another two years, or the Demo-
Gratis may tighten their hold on the upper
house. As Of today. however, 1t does not look
like strategic time for the Democrats Of ths
Senate to crack down on any Of their number.
1t might prove costly when administration
measures come up for consideration.