The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1952-07-23
New Changes Mark
Complete Reversal
OF Previous Stand
BY JACK BELL


RHParty veterans regained con-
troll Of the Democratic convention
today and pointed their strategy
toward a Stevenson Southerner
ticket for the November election.
II the party's ''pros" have their
way, that ticket might read:
Gov. Adlai E. Stevenson of I'LL
nois for President; Sen. Richard
B. Russell of Georgia for vice pres
ident.
But if Russell proves more re-
hctant to become a second-place
runner than Stevenson was to top
the ticket, either Sen. John Spark
man of Alabama or Sen. William
Fulbright Of Arkansas might De
substituted for him.
This potential lineup emphasized
a complete reversal of the trend
which saw rampaging Northern
democrats who like to style them
selves as .sliberals" take conven-
ton control temporarily and try
10 shove down Dixie threats o
marty loyalty" rule.
The Northerners were thrown tor
q loss Tuesday night in a compro
mise-reportedly effected through
White House influence - under
which Dixie delegations unwilling
to sign the loyalty oath could walk
serenly around II and still particl-
pate fully in the convention.
The Northerners lost more
ground when the conventions Gre
dentials Committee voted 36 to 10
TO seat o Texas delegation and IS
to II to seat a Mississippi group
which had carried anti-Truman
labels into the convention.
The Northern coalition lost the
ball on downs when convention
platform drafters came up with a
compromise version of a civil
rights plank--not yet spelled out
publicly.
They could regain the initiative
only by a floor fight which looked
unpromising. This fight would
come on expected convention ac-
ton today on the platform.
The upshot Of all the back-stage
maneuvering seemed to indicate
that hard-headed psrty wheel
horses like Jacob NJ. Aryey Of
Illinois and David L. Lawrence OF
Pennsylvania had won gigantic
game Of bluff.
This game, played through the
traditional smoke-filled hotel rooms
and the crudely partitioned offices
OF this Convention Hall, involved
an effort by Northern coalition
of the party's bright and mostly
young men TO force through an
about Fair Deal candidate ana
platform. -
This group included Sens. Estes
Kefauyer OF Tennessee. biair
Moe,lv Of Michigan and Hubert
humphrey Of Minnesota, w, Aver
eli Hartman and Rep. Franklin
d Roosevelt Jr. Of New YORK ana
Gov. G, Mennen Williams OF Mich
igan. al,
,np 10 have Southern delegations
take n walk--with all the general
election trouble that could cause
10 Get what they call liberal
candidate and platform,
hut with the help Of the Southern
DELEGATIONS Who refused any al
vance loyalty pledge until they see
the nominee and the platform, the
Arycys and the Lawrences seemed
10 have convinced most delegates
can win is TO keep the South soho
in the party column,
strangely enough, their victory
seemed To have been accomplished
through the indirect Intervention
az President Truman-sho mas
been calling for about endorse
ment Of his Fair Deal program
and for a strong civil rights plank.
Moody told reporter that as
result Of q telephone cali from
Charles Murphy. the President 5
LEGAL counsel, he had agreed 70
add a provision TO the loyalty RUE
adopted by the convention IN
voice vote al stormy AFTER
midnight session Tuesday.
This rule provided that delsga.
ton chairmen must certify that
their members would work toward
getting the names Of the eosasesa'
tons presidential and vice prcSi-
dental nominees on the November
ballots in their states.
To this Moody added the pro
vision that no delegate would be
forced to sign the pledge Il Il ran
against bis states laws or party
organization rules,
Georgia. Louisiana. South Caro-.
lina and Virginia delegations bad
refused 10 sign UP because they
said their states had made pro-
vision TO decide later what 10 90
about the national nominee. Heads
OF the delegations announced they
we're sitting ngki. dared the COO.