Evening star., 1952-07-14

Democrats
Continued From First Page.)
Speaker Rayburn, but when
asked how many Southern dele
gates the speaker might take from
Senator Russell on the first bal
lot, Senator johnson replied:
"I haven't heard that Mr.. Ray
burn is a candidate. and I'm not
going around digging up any more
we've got enough now"
Senator johnson shared the
view expressed yesterday by Sen
ator Sparkman that the Demo-
Gratis will succeed in working out
a civil rights plank that will be
acceptable to minority groups. He
said it would be more constructive
than the on the Republicans
wrote.
Knows Nothing of Visit.
Senator johnson professed to
have on information on Senator
Russell's recent visit to the White
House following a luncheon date
here last week with Jacob Arvey,
Democratic leader in Illinois.
Il know the President is very
fond of Senator Russell, and has
great confidence in him. But what
he may have said to him, I don't t
know"
With a grin. the Senator said
he would watch to see how Presi-
dent Truman's alternate votes in
the convention.
The race for the Democratic
Presidential nomination is wide
open. especially since Gov. Steven
son once again has declared he
does not want to run for the presi-
dency.
Active rivals for the nomina-
ton, in addition to Senator Rus
sell, Senator Kefauver and Vice
President Barkley are Senator
Kerr of Oklahoma, Senator Nc
Mahon of Connecticut and Averell
Hartman, director of the Mutual
Security Administration.
Few made any attempt to dis
count the power of the G. o. P.
ticket of Gen. Eisenhower for
President and Senator Nixon of
California for Vice President.
The Russell hackers used the
G. o. P. strength-especially in
Dixie-as a warning that Senator
Russell must be nominated.
Comedies Vulnerableness.
Senator Sparkman in yesterdays
press conference conceded that
Senator Russell might be some
what Vulnerable on the civil rights
issue, especially with the Negro
vote in big Northern States.
But even on that issue Senator
Sparkman takes the position that
the Republican platform offers no
incentive to the Negro voters. who
have been voting Democratic
since the advent of the New Deal,
to return to the Republican fold.
The Alabama Senator said he
has high hopes" the Democratic
convention will succeed in adopt
ing a civil rights plank acceptable
to all.
Asked directly If Gen. Eisen-
hower's victory in the Republican
convention helps the Russell can
didacy, Senator Sparkman re-
piled:
1T ought to. because we would
be blind not to recognize Gen.
Eisenhower's strength in the
South, and with this great five
star general running, we need q
strong man who knows defense
problems"
He called attention to Senator
Russell's position as chairman of
the Senate Armed Services Com
mittee. and coupled with it a pre-
diction that Georgia Senator
would not lose a single electoral
vote in the South.
Denies Sectional View
At the same time Senator
Sparkman hastened to deplore
the impression that Senator Rus
sell is sectional candidate. He
said the impression exists because
whenever the liberality of a
Sountherner is being tested, the
only yardstick used is civil rights.
Senator Sparkman called at
tention to Senator Russell's 20
year record in the Senate. includ-
ing his fight for a permanent
school lunch program, for rural
electrification and many other
measures to aid the farmer. The
Georgian has had charge Of ag-
ricultural appropriations for many
years.
Senator Russell's stand on civil
rights Is certainly as liberal as
any other presidential nominee be-
fore u.s., said Senator Sparkman.
Secret Talk With Truman.
To show that Senator Russell
is not opposed to all civil rights
legislation. Senator Sparkman re-
vealed that in January, 1949, SEN