Evening star., 1951-07-17
The Political Mill
Douglas Discipline
Is Explained VoriousIy
But Senator Is Convinced
Truman Will Run Again
By Gould Lincoln

President Truman has not yet said
there are too many Douglases in the
Senate-but it looks very much as
though he thought so. When he cracked
the administration lash across Senator
Douglas shoulders last week by ignoring
the Illinois Senator's recommendations
for appointments to the Federal bench,
he signif1ed his displeaSure-an under
statement-with the course Senator
Douglas has pursued.
A presidential breakdown on an Illi-
nois New Deal and Fair Deal Democrat,
who has been frequently mentioned as
a potential nominee for President or
Vice President, may be interpreted va
rlously. 1t may be regarded as merely
an effort to exert party discipline. It
may be considered an indication that
PRESIDENT Truman, not wishing to run
again, Is going to take his own sweet
way 1or the rest of his term, rewarding
MS trends and Furnishing those who have
d1spleased him. Or it may mean that
the President has definitely decided to
stand Tor reelection and is looping of
headS that might rise in opposition,
Not Presidential Candidate.
Senator Douglas went to the WhjtA
House few days before the judgesbin
appointments were announced and told
the President he, Douglas, was not a
candidate for the presidential nomina-
tlon and had no desire to become one.
Ioday. Mr.. Douglas is convinced that
the President intends to run again
and that's that.
President Truman and other presi.
dents before him have shown their dis
pleasure with Senators who ran counter
10 presidential programs, by withhold
ing poltlcal patronage. Often it has
taken the form Of disregarding recon-
mendations for appointment to the
FEDERAL bench. Senator Douglas, while
supporting the Fair Deal program loy-
ally, has been as vehement as Senator
Harry Byrd of Virginia in his demands
that the Government economic and in
attacking the presidential budgets. He
has suggested that Secretary of State
Acheson be retired, as a liability, and
he commented that if President Truman
did not run next year, Gen. Dwight D.
Eisenhower would make a strong can
d1date for the Democrats. Further.
Senator Douglas was a member of the
Senate committee which raised all the
fuss over the RFC, with charges of
White House pressure in the making of
loans by that agency.
Organization Is Friendly.
Decidedly, Senator Douglas is no
rubber-stamp Senator. The Democratic
organization in his State and the SEN
ator, however, have been friendly
enough, and the organization has not
undertaken to dictate to him. In fact,
the organization approved Senator
Douglas selection for the three Federal
Judgeships. The President went out Of
his way to pick two others, while ac-
cept1ng one who had been backed by
former Senator Scott Lucas, also ap-
proved by Senator Douglas. One of
those appointed by the President is
Joseph jerome Drucker, a nephew of
Representative SABBATH of Illinois, dean
OF the House and chairman of the
powerful Rules Committee. Mr., Sa-
bath has been firm supporter of the
President and his programs. In some
quarters it is believed that the Presi-
dent determined to reward Mr.. SABBATH
for his long and faithful service by ap-
pointing Mr.. Drucker.
What effect the wide split between
the President and Senator Douglas will
have politically in 1852 remains to be
seen. Much will depend on the attitude
OF Senator Douglas himself. He has
had a wide following in the State.
Further, whether he regards himself as
a candidate for higher office or not
and he is emphatic he does not-there
are plenty of Democrats in the West
who believe that the Illinois Senator
fighting Marine in the last war
would make an excellent presidential
candidate and good President if
elected. In 1948, Senator Douglas was
the falr-haired boy of the New Dealers
and Fair Dealers. He was their white
hope in the senatorial race. He de-
1eated Republican Senator "Curley"
Brooks by 100000 votes, while Mr.. Tru-
man was carrying the State by $4,000.