St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1949-04-15

ging their own political grav
Southern Democrats Sin a rott,
man rights and economic refor
But he chided u. s. liberals and
laborites for the "complacency"
that followed the November cleo
ton and summoned them TO a
new twin-offensive against mo
nopolists and reactionaries on the
right" and Communist totalitar-
ians on the left.
I'VE are still engaged in that
two-front war" Humphrey said.
This country does not want
big business reaction any more
than it wants police-state Com
munism."
In a fiery speech prepared for
delivery before 600 delegates to
the ADA assemblage, the Mime
sofa New Dealer recalled that the
term "doughface" was first APP
piled in pre-CiVil War days to
Northerners who supported the
slavery system, and observed that
the doughfaces were Northern
men of Southern principles" He
added:
I'VE have a new crop of dough-
faces today and they are running
the Republican party. The coali-
ton of Bourbons and doughfaces
is temporarily In the saddle. But
1 feel deeply the the Republicans,
in pursuing this wicked policy of
coalition against human rights
and dignity, are digging their own
graves. They are sacrificing their
long-rm vitality as a party for
the short-run advantages of ad-
ministering a few political set
backs"
Setting the tone, for the three
day meeting on non-Communist
liberals and laborites which began
with panel meetings and state
caucuses here yesterday and win
in plenary session this morning,
Humphrey asserted that the ma
ton gave independent liberalism
a new mandate in 1913 when the
voters rejected both Gov. Dewey
and Henry A. Wallace. He pre-
dicted political punishment for
those who misread the returns.
But the election was not so
much a victory as it was a re-
prieve," he said.
ut gave liberalism a new lease
on life, a new chance to solve the
grave problems of our time -
but the mere fact Of electoral VIC
tory did not solve these problems
automatically.
The people had certainly
spoken but some Of their repre-
sentatives in Congress turned out
to be a bit hard of hearing.
Humphrey, acting national
chairman of ADA since january
was elected chairman by the meet
ing delegates at the close of the
meeting Sunday. He said ADA's
growth reflects the increasing
awareness of liberals that "totali-
tarianism and democracy are like
oil and water-no amount Of
shaking them up can make them
mix"
I'VE intend to make America q
country where no man need fear
that his race or color or creed or
his economic circumstances will
bar him from any success to
which his character and talent en-
title him." he said.
The theme of ADA's political
independence was stressed by
Walter Reuther, president of the
CLIO Auto Workers Union and a
member of the ADA executive
board, at a press conference last
night where he said:
I'm confident the convention
will vote to maintain the position
we've taken before-to work as
an independent force and fight
for a real and meaningful political
alignment. We may be able to get
that within the present political
structure"
ADA officials said the turnout
Of chapter delegates for this
convention exceeds any previous
meetings. 1t was widely noted that
the proportion of "grass-roots"
representatives to New Deal lumi-
naries was significantly higher
than at earlier conventions. More
than 80 states have sent delegates.