Evening star., 1948-09-02
CIO Booking Of Trumon
Won't Upset Leftist Vote
Democrats Can't Write Wallace
Of Books Yet, Observer Says
The Political Mill
By Gould Lincoln


Had the CIO executive board in 1914 split
IS to IL for and against the late President
Franklin D. Roosevelt. the Democratic high
command would have had cold chills running
up and down its back. It would have FORE
cast sizeable percentage vote in the ranks of
organized labor to be cast for another presi-
dental candidate The present IS to IL split
in the CIO board for and against President
Truman-with Henry A. Wallace, getting the
support Of the 12-nevertheless is hailed in
Democratic quarters as an indication that Mr..
Truman will have most of labor" on his side
in the coming election, especially when it is
considered In connection with the support Of
William Green and other AFL leaders. ,.
1t is fact that Mr. Truman and MIR.
Wallace will not split all the labor vote be-
tween them-for the DeweyWarren Repub-
lican ticket will have a considerable propor-
ton Of that vote. no matter what the claims
OF the Democrats today. The labor vote that
goes to Mr.. Wallace, therefore, is no help TO
Mr.. Truman-for that is the labor vote which
Gov. Dewey could not possibly have expected
to receive. 49,
Big Leftist Vote Seen. 81
Granting the CIo unions a total 100000
membership the unions supporting Mr.. Truman
in the boards action represent approximately
100000 workers and those supporting Mr.
Wallace approximately 100000. Not all Of
those workers and their families will vote for
either President Truman or MIR. Wallace But
1t still looks as though a large number will
vote for Henry Wallace. They are the leftist
group-a group that may be counted upon to
60 to the polls In large numbers
1t is too early, to write Mr.. Wallace and his
Progressive Party off the books, as is being
done in some quarters. The Progressive candi-
date for President undoubtedly has been
harmed by the charges-apparently we'll
founded-that there Is q strong Communist
core in the new party organization. But tha
leftists In organized labor have grown used to
the charge of communism. Reports from
reliable Californian sources are that Mr..
Wallace will roll up good sized vote in that
State, and that he will get from 10000 to
$4,000 in the State of Washington.
Egging Mr.. Wallace in the South, where he
insisted upon holding non-segregated meet
ings,, with whites and Negroes in the same
audiences, Is not calculated to lessen support
Of the third party candidate in the North and
West, either 1t tends to make martyr OF
him in the eyes Of too many-one would be
too many, but in this. case it will be far mors
than one. Further, the already large Negro
vote he is expected to receive in New York,
Chicago and other big cerfters, undoubtedly
will be increased because he has stood as a
champion of the Negro, while eggs, tomatoes
and other missiles were hurled at him.
Truman OFF on Wrong Foot
If the Red issue is cutting into Mr.. Wallace,
it is also cutting into Truman support. No one
will accuse the President of communism-or
could. But he is off on u1e wrong foot with
his "red herring" remark about the current
congressional Investigations of Communist &C.
tivities in the Government-and the Repub-
lcans are not going to let him off the hook.
They will try to make 1t appear that Mr..
Truman is seeking to cover. up such activities
in the Roosevelt and Truman administrations
and The greater the rarnifications of the in.
pestigations, the more difficult the situation
for Mr.. Truman becomes.
Henry Wallace, during his long tenure OF
public Office in the Roosevelt and Truman
administrations, had q good deal to do with
placing Communist synlpathiz In the Fed
eral Government. As long ago as 1912, ths
FBI had a list of no less than 1900 Com
munists and fellow travellers then employed
in various Federal agencies. Under the
prodding first Of Congress, Mr.. Truman began
doing something about them But the limited
house cleaning has not satisfied the Congress.
The Republican legislators insist that a new
approach to the Job of Kidding the Govern
ment Of the Reds must be had, and that it
is only possible If new administration takes
over in Washington. II they have their way.
the issue will be forced in the coming cam
paign.