Evening star., 1952-07-24
The Political Min:
Southern Democrats
Kicked in the Teeth
South Be Damned Attitude
May Hurt Porty in Fall
By Gould Lincoln


By Gould Lincoln
CHICAGO, July 24.-The Democratic
National Convention. dominated by the
Democrats of the North. East and West.
has been engaged in the gentle pastime
of kicking the Southern wing Of the
party in the teeth. 1t has thrown the
Southerners a sop, here and there. In
the main, however. the convention ma
jority has taken South be damned"
attitude. In view of the appeal which
the Republican presidential candidate.
Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, has in that
section of the country, this may prove
unfortunate for the Democratic ma
tional ticket next November.
The rough stuff-toward the Southern
Democrats-began when several bright
young men, including Senator Blair
Moody of Michigan, Representative
Franklin D. Roosevelt. jr., of New York,
and Gov. Mennen Williams of Michigan
produced the loyalty pledge" amend
ment to the rules. This amendment pro-
poses to bind all delegates participating
in the convention on the ballots in every
State under the emblem or name Of the
Democratic Party. The object OF the
new rule is, of course, to make certain
that the Southern Democrats, If they
are dissatisfied with the nominees OF the
convention, and its platform. shall not
20 home and place Eisenhower Nixon
presidential electors on their ballots as
Democratic candidates or place Dixie
crat candidates on the ballots.
Insist They're Always Loyal.
Southern Democrats are sensitive
they don't like to have . so-called
loyalty pledge-to the Democratic
Party-stuffed down their throats.
They insist that they have always been
loyal to the party; that they are, indeed.
the Democratic Party in their own
States. Virginia, Louisiana and South
Carolina fatty declined to make answer
to the pledge. Other Southern delega-
tions did sign up, but with bitter feel
ings in their hearts.
Realizing the necessity OF showing
a united front in the coming campaign,
the leveller heads among the Democrats
of the North and West-aided by some
of the Southern Democrats-have done
their best to smooth over the situation.
They seated the anti-Truman Texas ana
Mississippi delegations. The facts were
all with these anti-Truman delegates.
to be sure, and also the law. But there
is no denying this action by the Gre
dentials Committee of the convention
had much to do with getting Texas
and Mississippi to go along with tne
loyalty pledge.
The olive-branch- bearing Democrats
fn vrnokA q
cession in the application OF the new
loyalty rule, so that delegates coulo
sign up with a reservation-f their &C
ton contravened the laws and lnstruc-
tions of the party-governing bodies IN
their States. This helped, too. to get
some of the States of the South TO
sign up.
For hours, party leaders pleaded with
Virpinia's Senator Byrd and Gov. Battle,
and with Gov. Byrnes Of South Carolina.
and Gov. Kennon of Louisiana, to COM
ply, in vain.
Moody May Have Helped Self.
Senator Moody may have helped him
self in his campaign to be elected 10 tne
Senate next fall, and Representative
Roosevelt may have gained political favor
in New York, by this loyalty pledge
maneuver, Both have large Negro con-
stituencies. They did not endear them
selves to a lot of their Northern ana
Western brethren who have been very.
very anxious to keep the South in line
this year. In fact, they have been
accused of stupidity stirring up the ami
mails for their own-not the animals
benefit.
In addition to the loyalty pledge rule.
the national convention wrote into the
platform a civil rights plank that irri-
tates the South. It calls in effect for a
Federal FEPC. although 1t does not spell
out such q law and agency. And it
seeks in its platform to instruct the
Democratic Senators to work for ma
jority rule to limit debate and put an
end to filibusters in the upper house.
Here, too, the language is q bit ambigu-
Gus, but the intent is clear enough.
One thing, however. the convention
may do in the hope Of gaining favor in
the South. It may nominate q Southerner
for Vice President. For example. Sena-
tor Sparkman Of Alabama to run with
Gov. Stevenson of Illinois, II the latter
should be the nominee for President.
All in all, however. the course OF the
national convention has been Of aid to
the Eisenhower supporters in the South
ern States. Indeed, there are plenty Of
predictions that the general will have
the electoral votes of three. four, or even
five Of the Southern States come No
vember.
Questions and Answers
The stars readers can set the answer 70
any question Of fact BY either gIiting The
NV, washington 5. p. C., and inclosins. cents