Evening star., 1948-02-15

pllGuiCldk pIt9CiICco. 44iC 1CCiA1AS -
Caldwell of Florida remarked that
the South had only itself to blame
for present troubles" He traced
the beginning to 1896 when we laid
our neck on the log and gave up the
twoethirds rule"
II will favor any effort to re-
capture the rule" he said. But,
am not interested In any measure
which would elect a Republican"
Gov. Folsom said that since the
rule change "we> down here have
been treated like stepchildren. The
Democrats know they have got US
and the Republicans know they
can't get U.s." He added, however.
that 'the only chance we have Is
within the party" and most OF the
others agreed they would receive
worse treatment" from the Repub-
licans.
g. O. P. Distasteful Q
The Governors finally decided to
meet again within 40 days on their
political problems at, which time
they will hear report from a spe-
cial committee appointed to con-
slider the best methods of attacking
the Truman threat to white SUI
'premacy." The committee, headed
by Gov. j. Strom Thurmond Of
South Carolina is expected to come
to Washington for conferences with
party leaders and possibly Mr..
Truman.
Gov. Beauford Jester of Texas
was among those who suggested
putting pressure on Chairman Nc
Grath and the Democratic National
Committee, adding, 1T might be
that they have changed their ideas
on some Of these things"-the points
of the civil rights program.
In any event, there was no indi-
cation that the majority of Gov.
ernors favored any action so strong
as bolting the party and withdrawal
of support from the President If
he is renominated.
The Southerners resent what they
describe as their party "kow-towing
to minority pressure groups" and
ignoring the interests of the
loyal" South. BY that they mean
largely the efforts to lineup the
strategic Negro vote In the Northern
States.
The efforts of Gov. Wright and
others apparently are directed
toward turning the South into such
a pressure group. The idea has some
support, but considerable more sup
port is being given the proposals
before Congress to change the
method of operating the electoral
college. Under the plan, instead
of a bare majority swinging the
entire electoral vote of a State.
the votes would be apportioned ac-
cording to the popular vote received
by presidential candidates in the
State. This, the Southerners feel,
would end the "courting' of the
Negro vote.
Sink or Swim With Truman
In mis- efforts. Gov. Wright may
have the making of new political
party, but this year, for most of the
South, itA seems it will be "sink or
swim with Truman" as one Gov
ernor put it.
Some newspaper observers of the
Southern political scene were OF the
opinion that the revolt" down there
this year will be less of problem
for the administration than was the
wallace rebellion" of 1914.
But, at least in Mississippi, the
situation this time would seem to
pose more of a problem for the
Democrats.
1t will be recalled that in 1914
the slate of presidential electors
there chosen by State convention
got the idea they were not instructed
as to how to cast their votes. They
made it pretty plain that no matter
how the people voted in the election
they were not going to cast theirs
for President Roosevelt. The Gov
ernor and most Of the leaders
thought otherwise. 1t finally was
necessary to call special session
of the Legislature and name new
slate of electors who would support
the party ticket.
This time, the Governor and all
of the leaders seem 10 be of one mind
they are ~against the national
party leadership.