Evening star., 1948-06-29
The Political Mil
Nomination of Trumun
Is Declared Inevitable
Only Danger to Choice by Convention
Is Opposition of Southern Delegates
Rv GonH LincoIn

ny OOubu LtUCOtW
With the Democratic National Convention
less than two weeks in the future, President
Trumans nomination appears inevitable. The
one remote possibility is that he would step
aside in an effort to bring greater harmony in
the party! Judging from the Presidents own
Statements however, both before and during
his recent Western swing, this is as remote as
the North Star.
Mr.. Trumans danger-if it can be called
so-in the Democratic National Convention.
which convenes July ~ In the same Philadel.
phia hall where the Republicans nominated
their Dewey Warren ticket lies in the fight
which will be put up by delegates from States
Of the South and by delegates from Northern
and Western States like Illinois, Michigan and
perhaps New York, New Jersey and Pennsyl-
vania. The Southerners do not want his nomi-
nation because of his civil rights program.
The others are desperately afraid that with
Mr.. Truman at the head of the national party
ticket they viii lose congressional seats and
contests for State and county officers.
Dearth Of Nominees
The Democrats are faced-in the national
convention-with q dearth of possible presi.
Dental nominees, outside of the President him.
SELF Nor does the Truman opposition appear
to be able to center on q candidate with whom
to oppose Mr.. Truman's nomination. Gen.
Dwight D. Eisenhower-who might have the
nomination In walk If he would become a
candidates. out. He will neither be candi-
date Tor the nomination nor will he accept a
nomination should the convention endeavor to
draft him. If the convention should-which
seems highly improbable-take the bit In its
teeth and nominate Gen. Eisenhower ANYWAY
and he should turn down the nomination. the
convention would be compelled then to turn
back to Mr. Truman or go to some other What
other is the question. There has been move
ment IN some quarters to back Associate JUS
tice Douglas of the United States Suprema
Court
With the Northern and Southern Democrats
split SO widely over the civil rights issue, the
held OF possible candidates for the presidential
nomination who might please both groups is
practically NIL. If Northern or Western man
were put up ne would have to 60 along with the
Truman civil rights program-or make certain
his loss Of many States
An analysis Of the present situation shows
that the delegates chosen for the party's ma.
tfonal convention will, in majority, support the
truman nomination whether delegations from
some OF the Southern States walk out of the
convention or not. The delegations which are
oenn1tely committed against the Truman
nomination are those from Mississippi, South
Carolina, Alabama, Florida and Georgia-ll6
delegate votes
1here is another group Of State delegations
which may be described as uninstructed and
uncertaln-With another 246 delegate votes. It
includes Arkansas. Connecticut, Michigan, Illi-
nols, Minnesota. Tennessee and Texas A
tnlrd group, whoe delegates are expected to
60 Tor Truman but about which there NAV be
some uncertainty in individual cases, comprises
New York, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Oklahoma
and Pennsylvania.
Virginia, where the feeling is strong against
Truman nomination, is still to name its dele
gates in convention Friday, July q What will
come out Of that convention remains to be
seen: One thing Is certain, Virginia will ioin
with other Southern States in demand that
Mr.. Truman be not nominated.
Many Believe "Jig Is Up" 40
Notwithstanding claims advanced by Chair
man McGrath Of the Democratic National
Committee and others identified with the Tru-
man administration many Democratic leaders
consider the Jig is up 50 far as the presidential
election Is concerned. For that reason some of
the leaders will be Indifferent, and will allow
the Truman nomination to 60 through. This
Is very much the attitude which prevailed
among Democrats in the 1928 national con-
vention which nominated Alfred E. Smith,
then Governor Of New York. They acquesced
in his nomination without much of a struggle.
knowing he could not be elected 1t was the
South which revoited then against the nominee
OF the party-just as the South is revolving
now. Indeed, there are plenty of Southern
Democratic leaders who say that several States
OF the South will go Republican next November
II Mr.. Truman stays in the race just as five of
them did against AL Smith score of years ago.
A suggestion that Mr.. Truman might change
the situation by calling Congress into special
session to work on his program of social legis-
lation during the summer months does not i'm
press these men, They feel that he might
easily weaken still further his chances Of elec