Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-12-07
The Political Mill
New Democratic Chief
Is Milo, but Militant
Butler Likely TO Continue
Policies Set Up by Mitchell
The Political Min
By Gould Lincoln

Policies Set Up by Mitchell
By Gould Lincoln
NEW ORLEANS = The Democrats
have picked mild -mannered, militant
new national chairman in Paul M. But
Ter Of Indiana. Indeed, the day after
Mr.. Butler was elected, he virtually
threw the gauntlet down to President
Eisenhower, himself.
For Mr.. Butler, at press conference,
expressed the opinion that Gen. Eisen-
hover had shown a lack of capacity
to lead and to govern because the Presi-
dent has been unable to control the dis
sident wings of the Republican Party.
Apparently. If Mr.. Butler has his way,
the Democrats viii open up on the
President. The new chairman believes.
however, that the Democrats should
always respect the Office of President
and the man. But wherever the Presi-
dent fails in leadership. in administra-
ton, and in the support of legislation
designed for the benefit of all the peo-
pie, Mr.. Butler says the gloves are Of.
Looks Like q Professor.
Mr.. Butler, who looks more like a
professor than a politician, has had
some valuable practical experience In
the political field. A couple OF years
ago. he took on the redoubtable Frank
McHale, who had been the Democratic
boss Of Indiana for Is years, as Demo-
cratic national committeeman. When
the dust of conflict died away, Mr..
Butler was in and Mr.. McFIale was out.
AS Mr.. Butler puts it, the Democrats of
Indiana were ripe for change and he
was on the spot to help them make it.
He has been changing things in the
Indiana political picture ever since,
which has not endeared him to Mr..
McHale or to Frank Mckinney, the last
Democratic national chairman in the
administration OF President Truman.
Both Mr.. McHale and Mr.. McKin-
ney have been friends of MIR. Truman.
The former President let it be known
q short time ago he would like to see
the national committee pick some one
who hadn't the same face and name
as Mr.. Butler. This was quickly mag
nif1ed by the friends of two other can.
didates for the national Craftsmanship.
Michael v. Di Sale of Ohio and James
A. Finnegan of Pennsylvania. Mr.. But
Ter was labeled nti-Truman. 1t was
reported the former President was
working hard to defeat Mr.. Butler.
1t turns out, however, that Mr.. Tru-
man will welcome a visit from the
new chairman when the latter goes to
Kansas City to talk things over with
the former President The first over
ture was made by Mr.. Butler, who was
quick to say he wanted to talk with
Mr.. Truman at any time convenient to
the former President And it now APP
pears that Mr.. Truman had merely
expressed hope the committee would
choose some one else for chairman. In
any event, Mr.. Truman, with charac-
teriStic consideration for the welfare
of the Democratic Party, is not going
to carry on a battle with Mr.. Butler,
Choice Of Mitchell.
Mr.. Butler. in a measure, is a con-
tinuation Of the Mitchell regime. He is
a part Of the newer element in the
Democratic organization, which has
come up since Adlai Stevenson was
nominated for President in 1852. There
seems little doubt Mfr. Butler was the
preference of Democratic National
Chairman Mitchell for the Job. And
since Mr.. Mitchell was in considerable
part the representative of MIR. Steven-
son in the national committee, pre-
sumably Mr.. Butler was favored by
Mr.. Stevenson. The new chairman,
however. Is stooge for no one. He
intends to be his own man, and says
so fatty.
Some Of those who opposed Mr.. But
Ter and favored Mr.. Finnegan and Mr..
Di Sale, argued he was not practical
politician" that he was not widely
known. Mr.. Butler, however, has just
given his opponents lesson In practi-
cal politics. When Mr.. Mitchell an
nounced formally not long ago he was
resigning the craftsmanship and issued
a call for the New Orleans meeting of
the committee to pick his successor,
Mr.. Butler Immediately began a cam
paign for the Office. He reached per-
sonally "a of the los members of the
committee (there are three vacancies).
Further, he got to them first, and while
not all Of them promised to vote for
him, enough Of them did. In this in
stance, Mr.. Butler showed his willing
ness to take on fight-just as he did
when it came to electing new national
committeeman In Indiana.
How many soreheads the contest for
national chairman left remains to be
seen. Probably not many, and Mr..
Butler will do all he can to bring unity.
He needs to do so, for two years hence,
or less, the Democrats will be seeking
once again the big prize-the presi-
dency.