Evening star., 1948-10-08
By Gould Lincoln
Stor Stoff Correspondent

HOUSTON, Tex, Oct. 8.-The
political situation in Texas to-
day is fluid-perhaps more so
than in other States. President
Truman apparently has the edge
the Truman Democrats claim
he will win easily.
The Republicans and those Demo-
Gratis supporting Gov. Dewey are
pleading with the Dewey managers
and with the COP presidential
nominee to come to the State him.
self and also to send Gov. Warren,
insisting that such a drive would
wind up with Dewey Warren vic
tory.
The States Rights Democrats
maintain the Thurmond-W Wright
ticket is the most effective weapon
to keep Texas % electoral votes
away from Mr.. Truman and they
are organizing widespread in
vasion of the State by leading sup
porters of the rebel Democratic bloc.
Opposition Is Split.
If Mr.. Truman carries Texas it
will not be because of any liking
the Democrats have for him or for
his policies. 1t will be because of
Democratic regularity, because of a
split opposition and because the
Democrats feel that with Gov.
Dewey in the White House civil
rights program similar to that
urged by President Truman will be
forced on them anyway.
The situation is not comparable
entirely to that which prevailed in
1928 when Texas gave Herbert
Hoover, the Republican presidential
candidate $4,000 majority over
Alfred E. Smith, Democrat. In that
election the main issues were re
ligion and prohibition-both of
which operated against Mr. Smith.
Today the Democrats-who are in
vast majority over the Republicans
are against President Truman on
racial and States Rights issues, and
on the issue of Federal ownership
Of the rich oil tidelands which for
100 years had been considered by
the States. including Texas, to be
owned by them. Many of the con-
servative Democrats. also do not like
President Truman's pronounced
New Deal policies, which they con-
siders socialistic.
With Dewey on Tidelands Issue.
Gov. Dewey and the Republicans
go along with the Texans on the
tjdelands issue, but the Democrats
realize they cannot count on Gov.
Dewey to be against the Federal
civil rights program.
The States Rights Democrats on
the other hand. are fighting Presi-
dent Truman on both these major
issues. Their leaders claim. too,
that because the Thurmond- Wright
ticket is made up of two old line
Democratic Governors. the Demo-
cratic voters can slip over and vote
for the States Rights candidates
without doing violence to their
longtime party Affiliations.
In Houston the feeling against
Mr.. Truman is particularly strong
In the primary elections the Demo-
Gratis voted 2 to l in favor of the
States ., Rights Democrats and
against the President A similar
uprising was found in two or three
other counties, where such a test
was made.
Hope to Garry State.
The States Fighters are figuring
that with million plus votes cast
in the coming election, the Repub-
licans can count on not more thar
100000. There were 191 200 votes
cast for Gov Dewey in the State in
1914. The Thurmond- Wright sup
porters hope to take a majority of
the remaining 100000 and carry the
State. s~
A factor Of considerable conse-
quence in the political situation Is
the desperate intraparty row over
the Democratic senatorial nomina-
ton. Former Gov Coke Stevenson
lost in the Democratic primary to
Representative Lyndon B. johnson.
a New Deal Democrat. Although
he voted for the Taft Hartley Act,
MI. Johnson's margin OF victory was
only 81 votes. Charges of fraud
were made by the Stevenson people,
particularly in Jim Wells County,
where a recount was demanded.
Mr.. johnson prevented a recount.
Mr.. Stevenson took the whole
matter into the courts and sought
to keep Mr.. Johnson's name of the
ballot New Deal lawyers fiocked
to Texas in support OF Mr.. Johnson
The issue was taken to the Supreme
Court, which refused to stop the
placing of Mr. Johnson's name on
the ballot because 1t did not wish
to become an arbiter in an election
Stevenson Faction Incensed.
There is more excitement over this
senatorial fight than over the presi-
Dental race. The Stevenson people
are incensed. so much so that thou
sands of them may 60 over and vote
for the Republican senatorial NOM
inee, Jack Porter. Houston inde-
pendent oil producer.
When President Truman came
into the State on his recent Western