Evening star., 1948-02-09
Southern States Held
Able 10 Force Election
OF President in House
Electoral Vote Bloc
Could Be Withheld
If They Reject Truman
Rv Dapfd Laurence

0oldIC6 OF power III Ulle CO1illlls
presidential election. Ten States
with an electoral vote of lis can
compel the selection of a President
by the House Of Representatives if
the general election is close. Be-
cause of that potentiality, the South
can influence the attitude of the
candidates and platforms of both
political parties.
The device is sanctioned by the
Constitution 1t permits each State
to choose its own electors and these
electors can, If instructed by a
State convention, vote as the people
of that State may direct.
BY withholding lis votes from the
Democratic candidate. for instance,
the first ballot in the Electoral Col
lege may show that no candidate
has received the necessary majority
of 266 votes. This automatically
takes the election of a President
out of the hands of the Electoral
College and, as provided in the Con-
stitution, it transfers the election
to the House of Representatives.
States Vote as Unit.
But In the House there are, for
this purpose, only 48 votes because
the members from each State must
decide by majority vote for whom
the single ballot of that State shall
be cast. 1t is necessary for can
didate to get Is votes in order tc
win an election.
It requires a two-thirds vote tt
make quorum when the election
is placed in the hands of Congress
but the actual decision is by ma
jority. In the House it is a major
ity of the States when a President
Is chosen and in the Senate it Is a
majority of the Senators when a
Vice President is chosen.
The mere fact that the electors
from Southern States would go to
the Electoral College instructed to
vote for an Independent Democrat
would have its immediate effect on
the policies or programs of any man
who was candidate for the regu-
lar Democratic nominate
This method or exercising tnf1u-
ence in a National election has not
been used heretofore because the
South, especially since the War
between the States broke up poll
tical parties, has been able to WELD
a veto in the Democratic National
nominating conventions. But in
1896, through the influence of the
late President Roosevelt, the one
third veto possessed by the South
was abolished. Instead of nomi-
mating by a two-thirds vote, the
Democrats now choose candidate
by q majority vote.
Hurt by Loss of Rule.
The abolition of the two-thirds
rule deprived the South of much
of its influence in the Democratic
Party. Mr.. Truman, by his Civil
Rights Message, has merely taken
advantage of the alleged helpless
ness OF the South, for it has been
taken for granted that the South
could be pushed around and would
still vote Democratic on election
day.
There are many reasons why the
Democratic Party in the South
must necessarily remain as it is,
especially because of the state pri-
mary machinery. There is. however,
nothing to prevent the Democrats
in the South from using the name
Democrat and utilizing the state
party machinery and still remain
free to support Whomever they
please in the Electoral College or
in an election which Is transferred
to the House Of Representatives.
The important point to be borne
in mind is that electors pledged to
a particular candidate cannot ethi-
cally change their minds after a
State has voted. This makes it all
the more essential that, if the bal
ance of power is to be welded
legitimately, the people Of each
State be advised in advance so that
they may vote for electors who are
not pledged to the regular nominee
There is nothing to prevent the
regular nominee, however, from
having a set of electors chosen In
his behalf so that the people can
decide between the two sets.
Controversy May Blow Over.
The whole civil rights controversy
may blow over. 1t may have been
merely a desperate gesture on
President Truman's part to pre-
vent Negro votes in the big North
ern cities, which have been Demo
cratic, from going over to the Wal
lace banner. But sooner or later
the coalition of Northern Demo
Gratis and Republicans will be able
to put through legislation on the
Negro problem which will be at
variance with the wishes OF the
South. Hence, political action
through the use of a bloc of lie
electoral votes appears to be one
way that the South can protect
itself against steps which it does
not favor.
In a close election, the 115 votes
could do considerable damage to 9
regular Democratic nominee, but II
another Democrat should achieve
the popularity as a vote-getter that
Franklin Roosevelt attained, 1t woulo
not make much difference how the
115 votes were cast.
The counter-attack then might
come from groups in the North BY
reviving the third-party idea II
those States where the big-city vote
is deciding factor. The presence
in the contest this year of radica
third-party candidate is, strangely
enough, the circumstance that give
the South its minority power.
If Republican won majorit!
of the electoral votes next time, th'
protest Of the South would be OF NJ
avail If, however, Democratic
majority is elected in both House
of Congress and then the Soutl
withholds its electoral vote from MI
Truman and the Republicans do no
poli majority of the electoral votes
II would be possible for the 10 State
of the South plus Is Republican
States in the North to bring abou
the election Of Republican. I
would even be possible for tn
South's own independent candidat
IN he chosen President II the Re