Evening star., 1952-07-23
Play by Play Of Spectacular Boner ~*&#p

OCA dtlC 1Ndt1OA01 NO4FCAtlOll dIC UISlly dL
work on an important project expected
to materialize today The project is
to discover graceful method of getting,
the convention off the hook in the mat
ter Of delegates from at least four and
probably more Southern States.
AS the result of impulsive action by
the convention between the hours of
midnight and dawn on Tuesday morn
ing, these delegates have been threat
ened with expulsion. The great minds
responsible for this maneuver have tar
Oily discovered that in throwing out the
delegates, they may also have thrown out
prospects of winning the election in
November with Southern electoral votes.
Two Of the great minds now at work
belong to Senator Blair Moody of Mich
igan and Franklin D. Roosevelt, jr., of
New York. They are partially reSpon-
sible for spectacular boner. The face
saving device they will offer at the con-
vention today, to prevent expelling
Southern delegates, has been amended
to say that. for this convention only,
they are not expected to do anything
that would conflict with State law or
instructions from the governing State
political body. But the story of how the
convention was maneuvered into the
situation from which many wiser heads
would like to see it extricated is inter-
esting and perhaps Illuminating. The
following narrative account is believed
to be generally accurate:
Preceding the convention a Subcom-
mittee on credentials Of the Democratic
National Committee held the usual hear
ings on contested delegations. 1t de-
cided to recommend that the regular"
delegations from Texas and Mississippi
be seated, although they were anti-Tru-
man. The decision was accompanied by
a resolution.
Jonathan Daniels of North Carolina.
in his role as member of the subcom-
mittee. suggested that brief statement
of principle. which might be helpful to
future delegates facing temptation to
waver from the straight and narrow
path Of party regularity, be appended
to the resolution.
The statement was not directed at
delegates from any State-even Texas
or Mississippi. 1t was designed for all
men, a sort of golden rule of politics.
Here is what it said: "Be it resolved, that
it is the consensus of this convention
that the honorable course of every dele
gate who participates in it's proceedings
is to support the majority decisions of
the convention here and hereafter"
Mr.. Daniels was apprehensive lest
some Southern member of the National
Committee would get his feelings hurt
and squawk, for loyalty pledges in
Texas had already caused trouble. But
members from the South raised no OBJ
jections. The objection was voiced by
Paul Fitzpatrick, Democratic State
Chairman OF New York and a supporter
OF Mr.. Harriman's candidacy. There
were vague warnings that Mr.. Harri-
man would not think it was strong
enough. But the National Committee ap-
proved the statement by vote of about
65-22.
Conversations were entered into with
Franklin D. Roosevelt, jr., in New York.
1t was hoped that Mr.. Roosevelt would
be won over to the idea of statement
of principles that would cause no row.
and tell Mr.. Harriman's man to pipe
down. Mr.. Roosevelt thought the
statement was wishy-washy. He didn't
-
vention was near.
Senator Kefauver decided he would
like to offer a loyalty pledge of his
own. There were hurried conferences
between the Kefauver advisers, the Har-
riman advisers and members of the
national committee. In an effort to
assure peaceful compromise between all
the statements, Chairman Mckinney
appointed committee consisting of
Senator Moody, Jake Arvey of Chicago
and David Lawrence of Pittsburgh. Mr.
Roosevelt was frequently consulted
Senator Kefauvers people seem to have
preferred their own statement. The
effort to write one acceptable to all
OF them broke down.
In the final hours, Mr.. Moody and
Mr.. Roosevelt and perhaps other help
ful hands, got together a statement
which was finally agreed to as the one
to present to the convention as an
amendment to the rules It's confusing
rhetoric reflects the haste in which it
was thrown together Its pertinent
part, which the convention adopted
by voice vote, reads as follows:
This convention believes in the great
American principle of majority rule. No
delegate shall be seated unless he shall
give assurance to the Credentials Com
nittee that he will exert every honor
able means available to him in any of
ficial capacity he may have, to provide
that the nominees of the convention
for President and Vice President,
through their names or those of electors
pledged to them, appear on the election
ballot under the heading. name or des-
ignation of the Democratic Party Such
assurance shall be given by the chair
man of each delegation and shall not
be binding upon those delegates who
shall so signify to the Credentials Com
mittee prior to its report to the con-
vention"
This rule was presented, debated, and
steamrollered through the convention
around o'clock Tuesday morning.
Many of those who watched the pro-
ceedings were stunned by what seemed
to them to be wholly unnecessary
method of challenging delegates from
the South to repeat the dubious ex-