Evening star., 1948-07-06
Draft Of Eisenhower
All Adds Up 10 Effort
To Ditch Truman
Advantages Are Sought
Both by Northern and
Southern Democrats
Bv David Laurence

Southern OemocrotS
By David Laurence
This column tnds ,pritten be-
fore release OF the latest state
ntent by Gen. Eisenhower on his
inability to accept presidential
nomination.)
The movement to draft Gen.
Eisenhower is based upon number
Of desires within the Democratic
Party which, however conflicting
they may be. all add up to the same
thing-an effort to ditch President
Truman. They are:
/. The dissatisfaction OF the
Northern Democrats-the New Deal
ers-because President Truman, not
withstanding his veto Of the tax re-
duction and the Taft-Hartley bills,
failed to 60 sufficiently over to the
left" to please the radical wing Of
the party.
2. The dissatisfaction Of the
Southern Democrats-the conserva-
tives-with the so-called civil
rights" program. But this issue was
only vaguely pursued by the Presi-
dent, and hence could not have been
the true reason for the turn to Gen.
Eisenhower. It really was Mr.. Tru-
mans tendency to go "left" which
alienated him from the Southern
conservatives.
These two opposite movements In
the Democratic Party cannot be
productive of harmony even II Gen.
Eisenhower were to accept the
nomination and win the election.
One Way to Solve Problem.
There Is a way for the problem to
be solved. 1t is for the Southerners
to do as they have done before in
national elections-let the North
pass on the real issues. II the left
wingers" want a test of whether the
American people approve New Deal
ism, this can be obtained by nomi-
mating a New Dealer on the Demo-
cratic ticket.
Justice Douglas. now on the ST.
preme Court, is such New Dealer.
He would make an intelligent and
aggressive campaign on that side OF
the argument. Even If the country
elected Cows. Dewey and Warren,
the case for New Dealism would be
made and would generate a cor
rective influence in shaping the
policies of the Nation in the next
four years.
Nomination and election of Gen.
Eisenhower would not settle the do
mestic issues in the theological
sense, though the general would GER
tainly steer a course in international
affairs that would make 1t impos-
sible for the "isolationists" to get
the upper hand, as they are still try
ing to do, inside the Republican
Party.
The main idea behind the Eisen-
hover movement is to place we'll
advertised name on the ticket with
the hope that it would mean victory
in the autumn election. The New
Dealers hope they, then, would have
a chance to prove their theories on
some national questionS-certainly
they would be no worse off If turned
down, now and then, by Gen. Eisen-
hover than they would be If left out
in the cold completely under Re-
publican administration.
So the Eisenhower draft is a
desperate move on the part OF New
Dealers to gain some voice in the
next administration. Oficeholders,
moreover, see it as a means OF stay
ing in power. The momentum be-
hind the desire to win is tremen-
dous. Gen. Eisenhower represents
this desire to the officeholders, no
matter what kind of thinking he
may do on national questions,
Also, finally, and perhaps most
important of all, Gen. Eisenhower
would pull to victory along with
him most of the Democratic noml-
nees for Congress. With majority
in both houses, the New Dealers
figure that they could come up with
a considerable amount OF social
reform legislation or at least could
prevent the repeal or modification
of some of the New Deal laws. That's
why labor leaders are for Gen. Eisen-
hower-usually they oppose every
military man for the presidency.
The Southerners would get back
their committee chairmanships in
Congress if Gen. Eisenhower car
ried Democratic Congress with
him and as for "left-wing' philoso-
ply. they would deal with it by a
coalition with Republicans in Con-
gress as they have done before.
Other Advantages.
The draft Eisenhower" idea at
the moment has other advantages
to the Democrats pushing it,
whether they be from the North or
the South AS the move behind
Gen. Eisenhower gains strength, it
hurts the prestige of President Tru-
man and publicizes the idea of a
withdrawal Even though Gen.
Eisenhower has declined to accept
nomination, the move toward
bringing on a wide open contest in
the convention already has achieved
a measure Of publicity and con-
siderable support.
Mr.. Truman's weakness is that
he has abandoned principles and
issues as such. He has spent more
time denouneing the Republicans
than the selfish forces inside the
party, who are worshiping vic.
tory as If 1t should be obtained at
any cost and by any device. What a
grand opportunity for a fight in the
open, calling a spade a spade!
MIR. Truman could win the nomi-