Evening star., 1950-07-13
Stotes' Fighters Slapped
In Defeat of Thurmond
But Nomination of Byrnes Is
Sad News to Fair Dealers
The Political Mil
By Gould Lincoln

The democratic States Rights party
OF 1948, created by Southern Democrats
IN an effort to prevent the election of
President Truman, took clip on the
jaw in the defeat of Gov. j. Strom
Thurmond of South Carolina in his eff
fort to win the senatorial nomination
over incumbent Senator Olin D. john
Ston. Administration circles hailed the
result OF the primary. Had Gov. Thur
mond been chosen to come to Washing
ton and the Senate, it would have been
bitter pill. He was the States Rights
candidate for President two years ago
and gathered in 80 electoral votes.
However, the victory of Senator john
ston does not mean slackening Of the
opposition to the Truman civil rights
program in the South, and In South
Carolina particularly, Senator john
stons first official act, after learning of
his victory in the primary, was to vote
in the Senate against invoking cloture
on a motion to take up the FEPC bill.
In his campaign for denomination,
Senator Johnston denounced the whole
civil rights program and boasted of what
he had done in the Senate to prevent
its adoption. He belittled President Tru-
tion's choice, in this senatorial race
therefore, was very much like that of
the Negro voters in South Carolina-as
between Messrs. Thurmond and john
ston, they took Senator Johnston as the
lesser Of two evils. The Administration
preferred him, naturally, since he had
come out for the So-called national
Democratic party-as distinguished from
the States Fighters.
Second Vote on Cloture.
The vote in the Senate on FEPC clo-
ture-the second during the present ses-
sion, stood SIS for cloture and 33 against.
Only by the imposition of cloture does
it appear possible to break a Southern
filibuster against the anti-segregation
BILL Under the amended rules of the
Senate, constitutional two-thirds" of
the Senate, or 81 Senators, must actual
ly vote to impose cloture. The support
ers OF the motion lacked the votes of
nine Senators. There seems no prospect
OF obtaining these votes at the present
session Of Congress-. and FEPC will go
into the election next fall.
The Administration is seeking to place
the blame for the failure of cloture on
Republican Senators who voted no"
on the motion made by Democratic
Leader Scott Lucas. The six joined 81
Democratic Senators in beating down
the motion. On the other hand, 80 Re-
publicans voted for cloture and were
Joined by % Democrats. AS between poll
tical parties, the G. o. P. far surpassed
the Democratic party In support Of
FEPC.
No Reason to Cheer.
If the Administration feels encouraged
over the defeat of Gov. Thurmond.
it has no reason to cheer the nomina-
ton of James F. Byrnes for Governor
Of South Carolina. Mr.. Byrnes, former
Secretary Of State, is coming back into
public life as critic of the Truman
domestic program, much Of which Mr..
ByrneS considers socialistic. In fact, Mr..
Byrnes projected himself again into
public life for the purpose of opposing
the Fair Dealers. When he announced
his intention of running for Governor,
the Korean war was not dreamed of. AS
Governor. Mr.. Byrnes will do all in his
power to aid the war effort. But he will
be potent voice against compulsory
national health insurance, the Bran
nan plan and other features of the
Presidents program. It's no secret the
Administration would have given long
cheer had the South Carolinians turned
Mr.. Byrnes down. The overwhelming
vote accorded him is like turning knife
in a wound.
The White House guard is counting
on renominating Mr.. Truman In 1852.
The South will, it is expected, again OPP
pose Mr.. Truman in the Democratic ma
tional convention. Mr.. Byrnes will set
the pace for the South Carolina delega-
tion, and the position of great promin-
ence he has held in national party af-
fairs will give substance to any revolt
against a Truman denomination.