The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1948-02-13
5000 Answer Coll
Of Wright: PdrtY
Bolt Is Threatened
(By The Associated Press)

ooShooil, NAioo-, ICO. 1H0AAlo-
sissippi Democrats today asked
their state Executive Committee
to call a Southwide party meet
ing to consider Withholding cleo
toral votes unless the national
party halts sponsorship of "anti-
Southern legislation"
In anoher resolution some 5000
members of the party said "our
purpose is to use our electoral
votes to the best service of our
section and nation in a manner
to be determined by the true
White Je~ffersonian Democrats of
the country"
In asking for a Dixie conven-
ton, the meeting left the date
to the state Executive Committee
and urged Gov. Fielding Wright
and the Legislature to assist in
calling the convention.
Other resolutions condemned
such measures as the proposed
FEPC, anti-poll tax legislation
and anti-segregation laws.
They said they would oppose
such legislation with whatever
means are at our command" and
condemned the ''totalitarian trend
of the federal government"
Other resolutions gave notice
to party leaders Mississippians
will make every effort within
the party to defeat such propos-
ais" as President Truman's ten
point civil rights program"
Standing Vote
The resolutions were adopted
amid wild cheering by a stand
ing vote.
They were presented by Walter
Sillers, Speaker of the House OF
Representatives and one of the
advocates of withholding elector-
al votes from the party.
81 want to join with others
who have expressed the thought
that if the South is not given
relief by the party leadership
we should nominate our own can
didate for president and vice
president and throw u electoral
votes to those men,"
Such a move, he said, would
throw the election into the ma
tional House of Representatives
because no candidate would have
a majority.
There, he said, the three high
men would be considered when
the representative cast their total
of 48 votes.
Sen. James o. Eastland had
predicted that in such event "a
Southern man would emerge as
president"
The resolutions were adopted
despite a note of caution inject
ed in the meeting by Sen. John
c. Stennis, successor to the late
Sen. Thee. C. Bilbo. He quietly
criticized the proposed FEPC,
anti-poll tax and anti-segrega-
ton legislation.
Keep Fight Within Party
Then he advised them to do
all possible to keep their fight
within the party and to leave 1t
only when driven out by leader
refusal to heed their demands.
my position on these matters
is as follows" he said:
81 shall assist in every way l
possibly can toward getting our
rights recognized and protected
by the Democratic party.
eff further developments, such
as the passage of these anti
Southern laws, or other develop
mems as grave occur, l will fuily
cooperate with a well-thougnt-
out, workable plan that has a
chance to protect us even II we
should be driven to the extent
of temporarily withholding our
electoral votes or using them IN
favor of some Southern Demo-
GRAFT"
Earlier Gov. Fielding Wright
had asked the 5000 Democrats
who overflowed the seats OF the
Municipal Auditorium:
How far do you want to go
and what means to use to ac-
complish the objective we have
in mind?"
The governor had called the
meeting to organize an "ali-out
fight" and to perfect a precinct
by precinct" organization to IN
sure that every delegate to the
state convention should be "un-
equivocably dedicated to party
principles.
He made nc recommendation
except for -positiee and determ-