Evening star., 1951-11-13
South Owes No
Party Loyalty,
byrnes Asserts
South CoroIiniun Has
Quick Retort to Unity
Plea by Royburn
BY the Associated Press

1oF. odAllcS T. oyTucS Oh OOuGI
Carolina declared today the South
owes its loyalty to no political
party or candidate in next years
presidential election.
The Governor told a news con.
ference that he is opposed to the
denomination of President Tru-
man and would support either
Senator Russell, Democrat, o1
Georgia Or Senator Byrd, Demo.
crat, of Virginia for the presi-
dency.
He added that "true Ameri-
cans" owe their loyalty to theil
country rather than to any politi-
cal party or leader.
And he made it clear that he
believes a Southern revolt against
Mr.. Truman should not be judged
on any basis of political loyalty
Direct Answer to Rayburn.
Gov. Byrnes' statements were ir
direct answer to a plea from House
Speaker Rayburn for Southern
Democrats to remain loyal to the
Democratic nominee next year re.
gardless of who he might be.
Mr.. Rayburn threw the Gov.
ernor's Conference into Turmoil
last night when he pleaded fol
party loyalty and also sharply
Criticized Republicans.
Gov. Theodore r. McKeldin o1
Maryland, the lone Republican
Governor at the meeting, stalkec
out in the midst of Mr.. Rayburn'.
speech. He later accused Mr.
Rayburn of turning the Gov.
Iernors' annual State dinner into
"a Democratic rally of a very low
order"
Gov. John S. Battle of Virginia
denounced the Rayburn talk as
"A political stump speech"
Gov. Wright Hits Talk.
Gov. Fielding Wright of Mis-
siSsippi, strong anti-Trumar
leader. called the speech "a par
tiSan political talk which should
never have been made" at a Gov
ernors' conference.
But Gov. Sid McMath OF
Arkansas. a pro-Truman Demo-
crat and a friend of the Presi-
dent, said: ut was good patriotic
speech by a great statesman and
1t was made at the right time"
Mr.. Rayburn came to the con-
ference as the main speaker. He
was invited by Gov. McMath.
Mr.. Rayburn, an old friend OF
the President, pleaded for party
loyalty in the South regardless OF
who the Democratic nominee for
President might be.
Defends Administration.
He defended the administra-
tion's foreign policy. its spending
policy, its tax record and the
record Of the Democrats since for
mer President Herbert Hoover was
defeated in 1892.
Then he said that Texas never
would have voted for Mr.. Hoover
for President in 1928 against
Catholic Al Smith)) except fol
prejudice and bigotry." He de-
clared his State never would &c
Republican again "as long as the
people can remember the Hoover
days"
He also mentioned the name OF
Senator Taft. Republican, of Ohio
avowed candidate for the COP
presidential nomination.
McKeldin Walks Out.
And then he said this country
might be plunged into a panic
by those who talk about the
present administration thrustine
the Nation into bankruptcy.
With this criticism Gov. Nickel.
din walked out. His wife re.
mained seated with the other Gov.
ernors' wives.
Gov. McKeldin later issued q
statement saying he had beer
amazed "at the smearing of for.
mer President Hoover, an out.
standing citizen of the United
States"
He said his amazement turned
to "anger and disgust when Mr.
Rayburn brought the discussion
down to a ward politicians plar
of who is going to lose what job
if the Truman party is defeated
Mr.. Rayburn had argued that
a Dixie revolt would lead to the
defeat of the Democratic presi-
dental candidate-and would be
"a blow to the South's prestige ir
Congress.
The House speaker said the
South would lose important COM
mittee chairmanships now held by
Southerners.