Evening star., 1948-09-14
The Political Min
Southern Revolt Grows
To Mojor Proportions
Democrats Are Seen Powerless to
Arrest Deterioration
By Gould Lincoln

Dp oUNbu ASt"tOsu
The Southern revolt against President Tru-
man, which the Democratic national organisa-
ton at frst was willing to ignore on the
theory that the Southerners would come around
and vote the ticket>p election day has blown
up to major proportions. The Democratic
high command, unable to check the revolt, has
taken to using invective when it discusses
these Southern Democrats-which still further
alienates them from President Truman.
Today. Mr.. Truman stands to lose Is presi-
dentiai votes outright, because these electors
will vote in any case against the incumbent
Democratic President. The probabilities are
Mr. Truman will lose almost double this num-
ber in the South when the vote is counted
November 2. Such a thing has happened
only once since the end Of Reconstruction" In
the South That was in 1925, when the South
ern Democrats declined to stomach Gov. Al
Smith Of New York, the Democratic presi-
Dental nominee, and five States in that section
voted for Hoover-Texas, Virginia. North Caro-
lima, Tennessee and Florida
Z This year the Southern voters have q wider
choice: To vote for the States Rights ticket
Gov. Thurmond of South Carolina and Gov.
Wright Of Mississppi-or for the Republican
Dewey-Warren ticket. The States Rights ticket
will be on the ballot In the Southern States
cAeiAch III thc AcNioCIhIlC ColumH Oh III MI InOes
pendent column. The situation is such that
these States will either 60 outright for Cows.
Thurmond and Wright, or the vote between
the Truman and Barkley and Thurmond and
Wright tickets will so split the Democratic
ranks that the Republicans will win
Disaffection Grows.
The bitterness against Mr. Truman in the
South is = grass roots affair. If thu Demo-
cratic high command had tried, 1t could not
have been more effective in its alienation Of
the South. Every successive step merely has
served to emphasize the split. The Southerners
look upon Truman and the Northern Demo-
Gratis who take his position as the party which
Is bent upon knocking out the social and
economic systems of the South. They see
Truman using the Federal Government-the
troops If necessary-to enforce an end OF
segregation of the white and Negro races.
The situation has become so bitter that the
South like Henry Wallace and his Progressive
Party, now hopes Mr.. Truman will be sunk
without trace in the coming election II that
happens the Southern Democrats believe they
will have administered such a lesson to the
Democratic Party of the North that the party
may return to its traditional support of States
riOhts. If the party continues in its present
demand for centralized government In WASH
ington, with power to enforce its will on the
Southern States, then the Southern Democrats
will have a choice between joining up with
the COP and OF going ahead with q States
Rights Party, with the latter course more
likely. A permanent States Rights Party might
hold strong bargaining position, even II 1t
could not hope to win national elections.
1t is certain that II Mr.. Truman is defeated.
and badly defeated. there will be great strug.
gle for control of the party among the Demo-
Gratis themselves. with Henry Wallace and his
Progressives hoping In the end to become the
dominant liberal party of the Nation.
- Six States Involved.
The electors pledged to vote for Gov Thur.
mond and Wright and against Mr.. Truman are
found in six States: Alabama IL, Louisiana 10,
Mississippi ., South Carolina 8. Florida and
Tennessee 3, total OF 45 Even If the
Democratic high command is able TO force
the names of Truman electors on the ballots
In some Of these States, where there are
none yet, the chances are strong that Mr.. Tra-
man will be defeated anyway.
The prospects are that the revolt against
Mr.. Truman In the South will continue to
SNOWFALL Even those Democrats who wish ,
to be regular" and so are supporting Mr..
Truman are doing so with extreme reluctance
In many cases.
This column already has called attention
to the danger Of a Truman campaign trip
through the South-danger to the chances OF !
Mr.. Truman for election. II the President
enters the South and fails to mention his
civil rights program, his failure will be com.
mented upon throughout the country and he ,
will lose other support If he goes there and
makes 1ghting speech for the program. the
nNYee ~