Evening star., 1948-11-07
Member Of the As.eeiutsd Press.
What Next i'm Dixie?

The decisive Democratic victory at the
polls puts large question mark behind
the political future of the rebellious South
ern Democrats led by Governor Thurmond.
1t is safe bet that the Wallace third
party movement will not hold together. If
it does not disintegrate entirely, there is
almost no prospect that it will return as a
significant political factor. 1t is not so safe
to assume that the same thing will happen
to the States Fighters.
They carried four States in the election
with a combined electoral vote of thirty
eight Actually, as a result Of pledges
made, their final electoral total will be
slightly higher. This means that the
Southerners came close-a good deal closer
than had been expected-to success in
their aim to throw the election into the
House of Representatives. Does that repre-
sent enough bargaining power to give
them any influence in the future within
the party?
The answer is one that will depend upon
the course of events. The left wing of the
party, and that is going to be powerful
wing from now on, will not want to yield
an inch to the South. Jack Kroll, C1O
Political Action Committee director, prob
ably spoke for most'o of the left-wing ele-
ment when he said: "The Democratic
Party has rid itself of two lunatic fringes,
the extreme right as represented by the
Dixiecrats, the extreme left as represented
by those who voted for Henry Wallace"
That does not sound as though the well
comeback sign is out Nor was there any
thing especially conciliatory in the tone OF
Governor Thurmonds postelection state
ment, when he said that the South Caro-
lima Democratic Party would not be "dic-
tated to" by National Chairman McGrath
In contrast to these harsh words, there
is some indication of desire on the part
of Democratic national leaders to patch
up the fight within the party. This in
ference can be drawn from what the
President has said, and other leaders join
privately in Senator McKellar's expressed
hope that "all Democrats will get together
In every State"
Even If it be assumed that this Is going
to be the prevailing view, however, the
question remains whether any basis for
a get-together can be found. Nothing
is certain in politics, as Mr.. Truman has
SO convincingly demonstrated. But as of
this date it Is hard to visualize the COM
mon ground upon which the Southern
Democrats and the national party can re-
unite.
The stumbling block, or at least the
main one, is the civil rights program. Pos
sibly there will be a compromise on this.
But the President has been emphatic in
saying that he intends to fight for the
promises made in the party platform, and
it is cinch that the left wing will try
by every means to see that this is done.
If it is, if the controlling element in the
party is determined to fight for the civil
rights program in its entirety, it is incon-
ceivable that the Southern Democrats will
go along. Perhaps, as practical matter,
there is not much they can do about it.
But If the price of readmiSsion to the party
fold is to be the swallowing of the civil
rights program, it is as certain as anything
can be that the States Fighters will stay
out and fight with every political weapon
at their disposal.