Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-07-13
Ru9-PulIine Hiehlighting
Democratic Convention
Party Factions, Staring at Defeat
Struggle for Receivership
The Political Mil
By Gould Lincoln

ny uOWt0 LtUEOtU
PHILADELPHIA, July l3-Tne Democratic
National Convention Of 1913 will 20 down In
history Is the great rug-pulling convention.
First Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower pulled the
rug from under the feet Of the anti. Truman
conspiracy Then Justice William o. Douglas
Of the United States Supreme. Court pulled the
rug from under the Truman coterie which
was trying desperately to get Justice Douglas
to agree to run for Vice President. 81.
It seems incredibly stupid that the anti.
Truman forces-both North and south-did
not learn from Gen. Eisenhower's repeated
statements that Ne would not run for President
before they undertook to destroy the man who
in the end they would have to take for their
presidential cAndidate-Mr. Truman himself.
With complete abandon, however. they went
right ahead, telling the country that 1t was
impossible to win the election with Mr.. Tru.
man ut the head Of the Democratic ticket.
Maneuvers Held Stupid.
It was almost a. stupid that the Truman
supporters, including the President himself.
did not ascertain definitely whether they could
win Justice Douglas over and get him on the
ticket As Mr.. Humans running mate. Their
maneuvering to get Justice Douglas on the
ticket became known very soon after the Demo-
cratic leaders had reached Philadelphia last
week. 1t was almost certain that their efforts
would come to public light through Democrats
who had no sympathy with this plan and who
did not want Justice Douglas. 1t did. The
result was to emphasize the fact that Justice
Douglas believed. along with other Democrats.
that Truman ticket had little or no chance
Of victory. It also made the nomination for
the Vice neutrality-suspicious. had ia sec.
ond-choice affair and not 80 attractive. M,
With defeat of their national ticket next
November staring them in the face. the differ.
ent factions Of the party are intent upon
getting hold Of the receivership. The solid
South" which has always been the backbone
Of the party when it was not in control Of the
Government, admittedly wants to lay hold OF
this receivership. The remnants Of the Roose.
welt New Dealers want very much to Lay their
hands on party control-after the expected
defeat next fall. Their hope was that Justice
Douglass dyed-in- the-wool New Dealer
would become the vice presidential nominee
and put himself in position to step out As party
leader. They figured that President Truman.
after defeat, would fade entirely out Of party
control-as he may well do.
Bosses Look to Future.
Another group, the so-called bosses Of the
big city and State Democratic machines
realists in party politics-also are looking to
the future. These arssthe Flynns, the Kellys.
the Arveys and the Hagues. They wish to
save as much out Of the expected ruin for
themselves As they possibly can. There Is
also the Truman inner circle which does not
intend to relnquish grasp on the party Or
ganization If 1t can be held.
All realize that the Democratic Party even
should 1t be disastrously beaten in November.
will come back again, four years hence, or
eight years, as the case may be. 1t always has.
The party, after the 1928 election when Al
Smith was defeated by Herbert Hoover ap-
peared on its last legs. But forces entirely
outside Of the party were at work-econonic
forces-and within two years, the Democrats
took over control Of the House Of Representa-.
tives, "s,--
Democrats today are confident that the Re.
publicans, ii they get control Of the Govern
mert, will stub their toe. or that conditions
viii arise which will bring = demand for the
Democratic Party to take over. 30 they are
striving, each faction for the receivership