Evening star., 1949-11-24
The Political Mill
Byrnes' Move May Block
Truman Foir-DeoI Program
Biloxi Conference Seen as Indication
OF 1850 Congressional Battle
The Political Mill
By Gould Lincoln

Recent happenings in Biloxi Miss, may
have put an effective block in the pathway
of the Truman Fair-Deal program-in the
coming session of the 81st Congress. They
may also be an indication of more rugged
battles in the 1850 congressional elections
than the complacent Fair Dealers relish.
The occasion was the conference Of South
ern Governors, representing IS States.
In the first place. former Secretary Of
State (that was the last of many important
governmental posts he held under the Roose-
velt and Truman administrations James F.
Byrnes delivered what may properly be con-
sidered the keynote speech for the anti-Fair
Dealers. Mr.. Byrnes speech was a clarion
call to quit deficit spending and live within
income. The countryS first line of defense,
he insisted, against Soviet Russia is not the
Elbe or the Rhine, but solvent America.
This is now threatened by the Truman SPEND
ing program.
MIR. Byrnes' attack will stiffen opposition.
for example, to such important items in that
program as socialized medicine and the
Brannan farm plan. It has been estimated
though not by the administration-that this
pair of projects would set the American tax
payer back another $4,000, 100000 annually,
and if taxes are not employed to meet these
increased costs, then the country would just
go further into the red. The "red" we have
to fear most, according to Mr.. Byrnes, is not
found in Russia but right here at home. in
the Treasury of the United States.
Thurmond Unopposed.
In the second place, the Conference Of
Southern Governors, elected without oppo-
sition, Gov. Thurmond of South Carolina.
Gov. Thurmond is the man who took four
States of the "Solid South away from Presi-
dent Truman in 1948-plus q couple Of the
electoral votes of Tennessee. His election in
itself may be considered reply to the at
tempts of the administration and the Demo-
cratic National Committee to discipline States
Rights Democrats.
The Truman Fair Dealers-and this in
cludes some Southern Democrats-have from
the first undertaken to minimize the strength
of the States Fighters When the movement
was launched first last year. their predictions
were it would get nowhere. After Mr.. Tru-
man was elected last fall, the Fair Dealers
insisted that the anti-movement among the
Democrats of the South would subside, and
that the leaders in that movement would
soon vanish as important political figures.
This prediction, however, has not been trans
lated into fact. On the contrary, the oppo-
sition to the Truman program in the South,
and to Mr.. Truman himself, still seems In .
healthy condition.
In the third place, the Conference Of
oOuGA1ClA NdbfCA4AV1o dSOPeS0 a oSoSOo AsA6A1vS
resolution, asserting its belief in State SOW
ereignty and individual freedom. and its
opposition to Government RECOMMENDATION and
socialization.
Could Strengthen Coalition.
The resultant effect will be. in the belief
Of many here, to strengthen the informal
bipartisan coalition in the House and Senate
to much Of the Truman program. That
program, in its main features, has still been
scarcely scratched by the 81st Congress.
Mr.. Byrnes has thrown out the suggestion
he may be a candidate for Governor Of
South Carolina. # he runs for Governor.
and at the same time Gov. Thurmond seeks
the Democratic nomination for Senator
against Senator Johnston, who has kept in
good standing with the Truman administra-
ton. South Carolina's going to be one Of
the most interesting political backgrounds
Of 1850. # Mr.. Byrnes and Gov. Thurmond
should run and win. the Democratic breech
will have been widened, and the Trumanites
will have received a setback.
The voice Of the former Secretary Of
State, lifted in the interest Of Government
economy, is strong one. Mr.. Byrnes has
been lifelong Democrat; he was leader
Of his party in the Senate during the Roose-
velt administration and had much to do with
the passage of legislation. That he Is tre-
mendously alarmed at the extent to which
the present administration is going along
the path to bankruptcy and socialization is
evident.