Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-03-31
President Pledges
Aid 10 Campaign Of
Party's Nominee
By J. A. o'Leory

Democrats had the assurance Of
President Truman today that hel
will be out working for whomever
the party dominates to carry the
party banner this year.
81 will be in there. just the
same as If I were the nominee
because I am that kind Of Dem
ocrat." he told 1000 party workers
at a reception in his honor at the
Mayfiower Hotel yesterday after
noon.
The reception given by Mr.. Nc
Kinney found the assembled
guests still buzzing with excite
ment over the Presidents surprise
announcement Saturday mig h 81
that he would not accept renom-
ination.
The announcement caught sol
many Of the Presidents loyal fol-
lowers by surprise that some Of
them were still talking of a draft
today, but Mr.. Truman himself
left no room for such q develop
ment.
Asked by newsmen yesterday I'll
anything could bring him to rel
verse his decision, the President
said, None whatever"
All signs pointed to a wide-openI
Democratic convention-the firStI
in 20 years.
Stevenson on TV Program.
Gov. Adlai Stevenson of Illinois,
regarded by some as the Presi-
dents choice, went on the tele-
vision Meet the Press" program
yesterday and gave the Nation his
views frankly on the major issues
that will crop up in the 1862 cam
paign.
He stuck to the statement he
has been making for weeks, that
he is a candidate only to succeed
himself as Governor of Illinois,
but he did not take himself out
Of the Presidential picture.
The king makers already were
talking of harmony tickets, such
as Stevenson and Russell. but
Senator Russell Of Georgia, the |
South's favorite, said he is not
running for Vice President.
In fact, at the moment he could
produce more sure delegates, be-
cause Of his Southern support.
than any other potential candi-
date.
The Presidents decision intensi-
fed interest in the outcome Of to-
morrow's primary race in Ne
braSka, between Senators Ke-l
fauver Of Tennessee and Kerr of
Oklahoma. Senator Kefauver's
stock also may go up when the
returns are in from the Wisconsin
primary tomorrow.
Boom Started for Barley.
Here in Washington some vet
eran Democrats lost no time in
starting a boom for Vice President
Barley, who may indicate this
week whether he will throw his
hat in the ring.
Meanwhile, official Washington
was still trying to guess when Mr..
Truman made up his mind. and
what developments caused him
to take himself out.
He had written out the history
making announcement in long
hand without including it in the
official text Of the speech he was
to deliver to more than 5000 at
the Jefferson-Jackson Day din
ner Saturday night.
Even when the dinner was half
over some of his White House
associates were saying there would
be no surprises in his. speech.
The most popular theory as to
why he did it was that Mrs. Tru-
man finally won her argument
against seeking a new term.
There were others who felt the
early primary results in New
Hampshire and Minnesota were
factors in his decision.
Senator Kerr, who had been
saying he would support Mr.. Tru-
man if the President ran, an
nounced yesterday that II am now
a candidate" for the Democratic
nomination. The Presidents de-
cision came in time to make the
Nebraska primary a clear test of
popularity between Senators Kerr
and Kefauver.