Evening star., 1948-03-21
Sparkman' S Detection
Fails 10 Shake Truman
Determination 10 Rum
By Gould Lincoln


President Truman, it was stated
yesterday in the highest Demo-
cratic Party quarters, has no in
tention Of stepping out of the race
for the presidential nomination,
notwithstanding the demands of
Southern Democratic Governors,
Senators and Representatives, and
the increasing threat of Henry Wal
lace's third party.
The sudden detection of Senator
Sparkman, Democrat, of Alabama,
from the Truman camp. admitted
it was a blow But it was pointed
out that Senator Sparkman was in
a tough spot when, in an interview,
he called for the withdrawal of
President Truman from the race
Senator Sparkman is a candidate
for denomination to the Senate in
the May primary in Alabama
Arrayed against him Is Philip
Hamm, campaign manager for Gov.
James E. Folsom when the latter
was elected in 1916. Mr.. Hamm Is
present head of the State tax de-
partment. A great deal was being
made of the Truman civil rights
program in the Hamm campaign
against Senator Sparkman. Gov.
Folsom, backing Mr.. Hamm, Is 60
ing right along with other Southern
Governors in their demand that Mr.
Truman not be nominated.
Palestine Policy Changed.
Unless there is great reversal,
the Democratic high command will
stick with Mr.. Truman in his fight
for the presidential nomination and
also in the light to have incor-
porated in the Democratic national
platform civil rights program which
has been responsible for the South
ern revolt.
At the same time, Senator Spark
man was announcing that Presi-
dent Truman should take himself
out of the race in the interests of
the Democratic party, the Truman
administration was backing away
from the plan for the partition of
Palestine which it had originally
1ostered.
This latest move by Mr.. Truman
In the Palestine situation threatens
to lose him thousands of votes in
some of the big cities, particularly
New York where the Jewish vote Is
q big factor in elections. Mr. Wal
lace was quick to denounce the
administration for it's retreat on the
partition of Palestine Either he or
the Republican nominee for Presi-
= dent or both will win votes that
otherwise might have been cast for
the Democratic nominee.
Eisenhower Letter Recalled.
The suggestion that the Demo-
Gratis turn to Gen. Eisenhower as
! their presidential nominee, made by
. Senator Sparkman and approved by
Senator Russell, Democrat, of Geor-
.gia, fell on deaf ears SO far as Mr..
Truman and his aides are con-
cerned. Notwithstanding renewed .
agitation for an Eisenhower nomi-
nation for President, emanatine+ !
; both from Republican and Demo-
cratic sources theN administration
Democrats insist tfist Gen sEisen-
howers letter last February to L.
". Finder, publisher Of the Man
chester (NH) Evening Leader, is
an effective barrier to acceptance of
nomination by any political party. !
In that letter Gen. Eisenhower
said he could not accept a presi-
dental nomination. He gave his
reasons in much detail, and de-
clared a military man should not be
nominated. However, he left one
loop-hole. He said world conditions
at that time-did not make neces-
sary the choice of a soldier for the
job of Chief Executive.
Admittedly, world conditions have
deteriorated in the last two months
If war should appear imminent at
the time of the Republican and
Democratic national conventions,
Gen. Eisenhower. could revise his
earlier opinion and accept nomina-
tion from either. He never has de-
clared himself Republican or
Democrat, although it has been sup
posed he was a Republican.
Truman Talk Won Support!
Despite the apparent low ebb in
his political fortune, President Tru-
man last week continued to fight
back. His address at joint session
of Congress, in which he demanded
@,lr ctr 10
the national defense, in view of
Russian aggressive moves won wide
approval. His attack on Henry WAL
lace as an appeaser of Russia and
the Communists also hit responsive
chord.
The Wallace third-partv move
ment-which is more disastrous for
Mr.. Truman and the Democrats than
the Southern revolt, unless it can
be blown out of the water by such
attacks as Mr.. Truman delivered-
Is long-range proposition. Neither
Mr.. Wallace nor any Of his followers
expect the country to elect him
President next November. What
they do expect is that the third
party will show real strength and
may be developed still further in
1850 and 1852.
Some observers believe that in
Connecticut, for example the Wal
lace vote might come close to 100000. !
Ninety per cent of it would come
from ranks that voted Democratic |
when Franklin D. Roosevelt was
running Where would such third
party vote leave the Democratic
Party in that State? If the same
kind of thing happened in other
States such as New York, Illinois
and California. the Democratic |
Party might be in such weakened
condition as to make the appeal of
the new third party much stronger
two and four years hence