Evening star., 1948-07-24
The Political Mil
Third Porty Organizers
Job Called Outstundino
Group Little Known To Politics
Placed Ticket in BigSest States
Bv Gould Lincoln

PHILADELPHIA, July 24-The Progressive
Party-wallace variety-may become a politi-
clans party II it lives long enough. Certainly
today 1t is . peoples party. A good many
of these people have done no more than cast
votes in elections, or played . minor part
at most in party organizations. This was evi-
dent when the delegates to the party's national
convention assembled here to launch the party
and to nominate Henry Wallace for President
and Glen Taylor for Vice President. No big
political figures were among the delegates on
the floor of the convention, and mighty few
were on the platform. Outside of Mr.. Wallace
himself, Senator Taylor Of Idaho, former
Gov. Elmer A. Benson of Minnesota and
Rexford Guy Tugwell, one of the late Presi-
dent Roosevelt's first brain trusters and more
recently governor of Puerto Rico, there were
none.
There has been however, q group of Or
ganizers, professional in that they have worked
to organize labor unions, the PEA, and several
other kindred activities. They have done .
real job, in lot of States. So well that the
leaders of the new party, including c. B. Bald
win, manager of the Wallace campaign, are
able to claim the Wallace-Taylor ticket will
appear on the ballots in more than 20 States,
This may be an exaggeration. Nevertheless it
is assured that the Progressive national
ticket will be voted on in the greatest States
Of the Union-in opulation-including New
York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, California, Ohio
and Massachusetts, That's something OF an
accomplishment for this baby political party,
in view of the difficulties caused by the laws
OF the States for any new party.
Menace to Democrats.
That the new party has become a menace
to the Democratic Party, no longer is matter
of doubt. While the Republican Party con-
ceivably could carry the great industrial States
OF the North and East as well as the farm
States of the Midwest and West If there was
no Wallace ticket in the field, 1t will be easier
for them to do so now.
That Is one Of the reasons the Democrats
are desperately striving to pin red label on
the Wallace forces. 1t Is the same reason tnat
the Americans for Democratic Action sent its
executive secretary James Loeb, jr., to Phil
adelphia to stage before the platform COM
mittee OF the new party bitter and dramatic
accusation of Communist dominance The
A. D. A., born of the ambitions of many Of the
liberals" who formerly surrounded or supported
Franklin D. Roosevelt. has a peculiar hate for
the Wallace outfit. 1t doesn't consider Henry
Wallace chubby fellow at all, and Is out to
destroy him and his party If it can.
1t Is true, OF course, that in some Of the
States the Wallaceites have been able to have
their hero taken up by parties already organ
ized-like the American Labor Party in New
York. Here there are plenty of trained politi.
clans to push for Mr. Wallace. But the ALP
has not submerged It's identity in the new
Progressive Party. In Minnesota, too, with
former Gov. Elmer A. Benson as chair
man Of the National Wallace Committee it has
been possible to gather in many of the old
Farmer-Laborites-h handed politicians-to
work for the new party. Indeed, the Benson
wing Of the Farmer-Labor Party, which more
recently joined with the Democratic Party to
form the Democratic Farmer Labor Party. has
made monkeys of the wing which decided to
follow President Truman
Party Long on Artists.
II the new Progressive Party Is short on
politicians as such, 1t is very long on pro-
fessional, scientific and artistic personnel. A
list OF college professors, scientists and artists
OF various kinds as long as your arm, all work.
Ing for Mr.. Wallace, has been made public at
the convention. Nor will Mr.. Wallace be found
without very considerable labor support, not.
withstanding the fact that the national leaders
OF organized labor, CIo, AFL, and the Brother
hoods, have turned their backs so far on the
former Vice President-Roosevelt's choice in
1940
1t is something after all, when q total OF
3400 delegates and alternates from all the
States, territories and the District of Columbia
turn up at q national political convention.