Evening star., 1952-07-22
The Political Mill
The Political Mill
Clear it With Sidney
Old Story to BorkIey
Once More the Labor Leaders
Turn Thumbs Down on Friend


Once More the Labor Leaders
Turn Thumbs Down on Friend
By Gould Lincoln .
CHICAGO, July 22.-Eight years ago,
when the Democrats were trying in
national convention to pick q vice
presidential candidate, the word went
out: "Clear it with Sidney" Presumably
the word came from the White House
occupant, the late President Franklin D.
Roosevelt, who was being importuned
by friends Of q number Of candidates
who wished to run on the ticket with
Roosevelt. The Sidney in question was
the late Sidney Hillman, CIO leader.
And, as a matter Of fact. Sidney did
give his blessings to Senator Harry S.
Truman Of Missouri for that nomina.
ton.
Now it appears the Democratic presi-
Dental nomination must be cleared
with "Jack"-Jack Kroll, director Of
the CIO Political Action Committee. or
with George Harrison. vice president OF
the AFL. These gentlemen turned
thumbs down on Alben Barkley, Vice
President and leading candidate for
the presidential nomination Of 1852.
They say they will be satisfied with
w. Averell Hartman Of New York or
with Senator Estes Kefauver--or per-
haps with Gov. Adlai Stevenson Of
Illinois.
An Old Story to Barkley.
All of this is an old story to Vice
President Barkley. He was one of sew
eral aspirants for the vice presidential
nomination in 1914, all of whom be-
lieved that they had been given en-
couragement by President Roosevelt, or
at least there was to be an open race
with no favorites played. Mr.. Barkley.
then a Senator from Kentucky and
majority leader Of the Upper House,
was not cleared by Sidney. He found,
in fact, that the President himself had
written letter to Democratic National
Chairman Hannegan saying that either
Senator Truman or Associate Justice
Douglas of the Supreme Court would be
acceptable. And, of course. both were
acceptable to Sidney. although that fact
was not contained in President Roose-
velt's letter.
So angry was Senator Barley that
he threatened to tear up the speech
with which he had promised to place
President Roosevelt in nomination for
fourth term It took three hours argu-
ment to get Mr.. Barkley around to
making the nominating speech.
The labor leaders at that time were
not so obvious. Mr. Barkley placed the
blame for his elimination as a vice
presidential nominee on the shoulders
of the President. But yesterday the
labor leaders came out in the open. They
succeeded in heading off the veteran
Vice President. They said is was too old.
and that he could not be elected. They
said he had the backing of too many
conservative Democrats. They said, in
fact, they could not support him.
Organized labor has had no better
friend in Congress over the years, or
in the Office of Vice President, than
Alben w. Barkley. Did that mean any,
thing to these labor leaders? It did
not. They stepped in to cut Mr.. Bark
ley's political throat at time when Mr..
Barkley appeared to have real chance
for the presidential nomination. Here
is gratitude, indeed. MIR. Barkley is not
the first friend Of organized labor who
has learned. to his cost, that the labor
leaders have no gratitude; that they
look only to what they consider their
own advantage.
Boast Of Organization.
The interesting thing, however, Is the
complacent manner in which the labor
leaders have asserted that the Demo-
cratic presidential nomination must be
cleared" with them-or else. Indeed.
they are boasting that they are better
organized to dominate this convention,
impose their wishes on the delegates,
than at any previous national conven-
ton. They believe they can get more
of what they want in the platform which
the Democrats adopt at this convention.
They believe that the convention will
not dare to nominate candidate, either
for President or Vice President, who Is
not, in effect, cleared" with them.
Indeed, the labor leaders seek to hold
their veto power over the heads Of sew
eral of the potential presidential nomi-
nees. They reach down to lower levels.
recognized and seated as delegates to
the national convention itself. CLEAR
it with Sidney" was only forerunner
Of what the Democrats face today.
Even Senator Russell of Georgia
seemed to falter and change pace be-
fore the labor leaders when he issued q
statement declaring he was for a COM
plete revision of the Taft-Hartley labor
law, which Russell had supported and
helped to pass over President Truman's
veto in 1947. Later the Senator con-
vinced his supporters this was not true.
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