Evening star., 1948-02-20
By Gould Lincoln

Republican National Commit
tee Chairman Carroll Reece to-
day described President Tru-
mans appeal to progressive
liberals" to rally to the Demo-
cratic Party as bid for the sup
port of Henry Wallace.
The Republican leader struck
sharply at the President as rum
blings of Southern discomfort at the
Capitol threatened the Democratic
cause from another direction. Fifty
two House members from IL South
ern States met to organize opposi-
ton to Mr.. Truman's antilynch.
antipoll tax and antidiscrimination
program.
Mr. Reece declared the Presidents
address at the Jefferson-Jackson
dinner here last night, in which he
called for the common man to rally
for political battle against the
privileged few" should have been
set to music under the title, Old
Henry, won't you please come back
Some Southern Seats Vacant.
The remarks Of the President, Mr..
Reece continued, were "ln the best
hybrid Henry Wallace tradition" He
added this included MI. Trumans
studied omission of any criticism OF
the Red-FaScist totalltarlanlSm so
near to the heart of his erstwhlle
Secretary OF Commerce,
Mr.. Reece commented that 1t was
only after the voters had "repudl-
ated" the Truman Administration
by electing a Republican Congress
in 1916 that the Nation had reached
the employment level OF 10000 900
Jobs mentioned by the President IN
his address.
AS Mr. Truman delivered his ad-
dress last night, carried throughout
the Nation by radio. he looked out
on the empty seats of some South
ern Democrats who stayed home in
protest against the civil rights pro-
gram, which clashes with the white
supremacy" cause of the South.
The President did not refer di-
rectly~ to the challenge he faces
from the angry Southerners in his
own party. Nor did he mention
directly the threat to Democratic
presidential chances offered by the
Wallace third party.
| But he spoke highly of Thomas
Jefferson's attacks against laws
that restricted citizenship" And he
said the Democratic Party still be-
lieves in protecting the rights of "all
the groups and individuals in our
Nation
The President rededicated the
Democratic Party and himself TO
the cause of positive. progressive
liberalism
The l0-year program that I
have outlined for American pros
perity Tin the state of the Union
message to Congress- is founded on
our faith in the ability of the
American people to plan their
future boldly and to move for
ward steadfastly toward their goals y
said the President.
Lashes Ont at Republicans.
] Mr.. Truman ate his dinner in
the Hotel Statler and then moved
over to the MayfloWer Hotel to
deliver what might be considered
his first speech of the 1e48 cam
paign. Certainly it was delivered
at a party designed to raise funds
for the campaign, costing the
patrons SloG a plate
In a brief extemporaneouS speech
at the Statler dinner, President
Truman launched out vigorously
at the Republicans.
1T is your business" he told his
listeners. "as members of the great
est party in the history OF the world
to see that the common, everyday
, man learns the truth, And If he
t knows the truth, he will not turn
, the Government over to a bunch
r of reactionaries who are trying to
take us back to 1896 Conditions are
, too grave in the world at the present
/ time to put an isolationist in the
/. White House. Conditions are toe
r grave in the world at this time tc
put Congress IN control OF the