Evening star., 1952-05-12
Truman May Address
| National Convention
Toward lis Close

IOWdIQ It's VIOSe
/ President Truman may take al
active part in the Democratic Ma.
tional Convention despite his ear
lier announcement that he die
not plan to attend.
| The Associated Press reported
today that an informed Demo
cratic source said Mr.. Truman
had turned down a bid to give
the keynote speech at the Chi
cago session when a presidential
nominee is chosen, but had not
ruled out the possibility that he
might be on hand for a speech.
Mr.. Truman told a news con-
ference recently that he did not
want to 60 to the convention be-
cause it would be charged that
he was trying to pressure the
gathering.
! That. however, presumably
would only hold good until the
convention had selected it's ticket
and was ready to swing into the
campaign.
Could Then Feel Free.
With convention business out OF
the way, Mr.. Truman could fee
free to indulge in one of his free
swinging oratorical efforts to spur
the Democrats on to the fight.
The Executive Committee of the
Democratic National Committee
meets in Chicago Thursday tc
choose a keynoter and other con-
|vention officials. The keynoter's
task is to sound off in behalf OF
his own party and tear into the
Opposition. Democratic National
Chairman Frank E. Mckinney
told reporters at Key West in
March that he wanted to select
convention officials. from the
ranks of those who are neither
candidates nor potential candi-
dates for the Presidency and Vice
Presidency. so no one would have
an advantage.
Mr.. Mckinney had wanted the
President to be the keynoter, be-
lieving he would attract a greater
television and radio audience than
any other party spokesman.
Some opposition to this ar
rangenent developed within the
party. but those favoring it
pointed out that the Democratic
nominee would have to run on
the Truman record, and that no
one Is better able to outline that
record than the President.
Dever High on List.
Gov. Paul A. Dever of Massa-
chusetts, who rates high as a
speaker. is we'll up on the list of
those considered for the keynot-
ing. A possible barrier to his Sc
lection, however, lies in the fact
that the Democratic House lead
ler. Representative Mccormack of
Massachusetts, may head the all
important Resolutions Committee
Whether two top convention posts
would go to the same State is
questionable
Senator Mcfarland Of Arizona
Senator O'Mahoney of Wyoming
and Senator Moody of Michigan
also have been suggested. All
are up for reelection this year.
/ House Speaker Rayburn Is ex-
'pected to be the permanent chair
man. The Texan has fatty de-
clared himself out of the race for
the presidency.
Russell Backs Slate.
Meantime, there were these
other developments on the Demo-
cratic front:
Senator Russell Of Georgia in
dorsed a full slate Of candidates
for places on the Florida delega-
ton to the Democratic National
Convention, with the obvious aim
OF keeping the prO-RuSSell vote
from being split.
Senator Russell will battle Sena-
tor Kefauver of Tennessee for the
Florida delegation in a primary
May q.
He beat the Tennessean In a
popularity" vote last week.
On a television program. Sena-
tor Moody said that if Republican
votes in Congress had been trans
lated into American policy, the
country would be in an atomic war
now. Three other Democrats,
Senator Monroney, Oklahoma, and
Representatives Jackson, Wash
ington, and Boiling, Missouri,
Joined Senator Moody In advanc-
ing the Democrats claim for con-
tinued control of Congress.