Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-04-12
Democrat Convention
Unlikely This Year
Project Humphrey Regarded
As Liability to Party
By Fronk R. Kent

By Fronk R. Kent
At first blush, the proposal to hold a
national Democratic convention in the
summer of next year seemed, from the
angle Of party promotion and propa-
ganda. an attractive idea. It would
offer an excellent opportunity to lam
haste President Eisenhower and the
Republican record, thus furthering
prospects for achieving Democratic
control Of the next Congress. This. Of
course. would enhance Democratic pros
poets for the election Of q President
in 1856.
But. upon closer examination, to
many Of the more solid Democratic
leaders defects appear that easily might
result in more party damage than good.
Chief among these is that the idea is
sponsored by the ebullient and earru-
lous Senator Hubert Humphrey Of
Minnesota. To Southern Democrats
that alone makes it distasteful Senator
Humphrey is the Senator who more
extensively than any other has tried
to force upon the South the so-called
FEPC, which it will oppose to the last
VI
with young Franklin D. Roosevelt, jr.,
and a few others very far to the left,
unsucceSSfully attempted last summer
to compel the Southern delegates to
take a humiliating oath to support
the party nominee regardless Of the
platform. In the light of these things
it is not surprising the South does not
respond warmly to any plan sponsored
by Senator Humphrey.
Another defect is the conviction that
the proposed convention, with arrange
mentS in the hands Of Chairman Ste
phen Mitchell. inevitably would be
controlled by Walter Reuther of the
C1O, and the left-wing Americans for
Democratic Action, to which he also
belongs. This almost certainly would
result in resolutions repugnant to thou
sands Of conservative Democrats who.
weary of party domination by labor and
Negro politicians, evinced that distaste
by voting for Gen. Eisenhower last
November. Still another point is that
obviously the chief speaker at the con.
vention would be former Gov. Adlai
stevenson, who though defeated badly
IN the last election is nonetheless
tltular leader of his party. A good
many friends of Mr.. Stevenson. includ.
ing his hand-picked chairman, Mr..
Mitchell. are already booming him for
denomination in 1856.
This is notion not at all offensive
TO Mr.. Stevenson. but it is by no means
unanimously cherished by party lead
ers. Undoubtedly. Mr.. Stevenson would
be entitled to make the keynote speech
and 1t is difficult to see how the gather.
ing could help but be an instrument
to promote his candidacy. Naturally,
this would not please the friends Of
Senator Kefauver of Tennessee, Gov.
Mennen Williams of Michigan, Averell
Hartman Of New York, and the new
Senator from Missouri, w. Stuart Sy-
mlngton, who won a sensational victory
IN Missouri, where he was opposed by
President Truman and the Pendergast
machine for the nomination and vet
was elected by 100000 despite the fact
that Eisenhower carried the State.
One question, Of course, is by what
method delegates to the convention
are going to be chosen and how, in.
aSmuch as no candidates are to DO
named, will 1t be possible to create
enough public interest in their selec-
ton to make it seem worth while. An
other question is how are the expenses
OF the proposed convention to be met,
Certainly, the cost will be considerable.
Already the Democratic National Com
mittee has a deficit in excess of $780,
600. Unless it is highly publicized both
prior to its meeting and during its
session, its value would be greatly di-
mlnlShed. 1t, Of course, would be pro-
NOTED by the pro-New Deal columnists
and commentators but that is not
nearly enough. It would be difiicult to
get an adequate number Of delegates
to attend, paying their own travel and
hotel expenses
No thought seems to have been given
to these details. though practical poll
ticianS will agree they are not unim-
portant. Also. the proceedings would
have to be televised, the convention
hall would have to be hired, bands en-
gagged and a good many details in
evitable to such gathering taken care
OF. Municipal and hotel donations for
these things hardly could be expected.
Broke and out of power, there seems
slight chance the national committee
could fully finance the project. Yet,
obviously, it cannot afford to do it on
the cheap. Perhaps, the CIO, with its
overlooking treasury. would supply the
money, but that would again put a
label on the party that easily could
prove fatal liability. Taking all these
things-and some more-into consid-
Grafton, it is not surprising there should
exist grave doubts as to the feasibility
of Project Humphrey" and some fore
casts that it will die on the vine.