Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-19
United They Stand

Some Of those who watched the tele-
vised finale of the Democratic convention
must have paused for moment to medi-
tate on the point that politics is indeed
a strange and wonderful game.
Presidential nominee Adlai Steven
son was all smiles and confident Of
victory in November. He was delighted
to have Estes Kefauver as his running
mate. And he said that he was glad to
have Harry Truman on his Side-again.
Senator Kefauver was beaming, too,
and just as full of confidence. He had
suggested In May that he didn't think
Mr.. Stevenson could be elected in Novem-
Der, and his campaign manager, Jiggs
Donohue, had offered the interesting
comment in that same month that "a
vote for Stevenson is a vote for East
land Talmadge, Ellender and the other
white supremacy boys"
Mr.. Truman was beaming with the
best of them. He had said few days
before that Mr.. Stevenson couldn't win,
later amending it to say that he couldn't
win without lot of help. He had also
said that the Democrats needed candi-
date who would not compromise on
fundamental issues" and that Governor
Stevenson sis not that type Of candidate"
But there was none of this Republic
can-like nonsense Friday night. Senator
Kefauver was delighted to be on the same
ticket with that splendid leader and GER
tain winner-Adlai Stevenson. Mr.. Tru-
man had discovered, perhaps to his own
surprise, that Governor Stevenson was
"real fighter" man of highest integrity
and a winner for the Democrats in
November.
In this fashion, the once-shattered
ranks were pulled together-or as close
together as they could be pulled. Senator
Kefauver made folkSy, homeSpun &C
ceptance speech which was essentially an
appeal for harmony. For minute or so
Mr.. Truman was at his Speech-making
best-good- informal and witty
the Harry Truman who shines as an off,
the-cuff speaker. It would have been
wiser If he stopped there instead Of going
on to long, Shop-worn attack on the
Republican plunderers and blunderers.
Adlai Stevenson was the Stevenson
Of old-the best political speaker Of this
generation. He observed in that straight
faced, digni1ed, deprecating way Of his
that the Republican Party is house
divided" He noted that "history's head
long course" has brought us to the
threshold of new America-"to the
America of the great ideals and noble
visions which are the stuff our future
must be made Of" He was distressed
that America, under the Republicans, mo
longer sparks and flames and gives on
new ideas. :" There was a note of
gentle reproach in his tone as he COM
mented that I'VE chat complacently Of
this and that while, In Carlyle's phrase,
death and eternity sit glaring.'"
This Is In the true Stevenson
character, and 1t sets the tone, we sup
pose, for that part Of the Democratic
campaign which he will conduct. Senator
Kefauver is not a gifted speaker. His
role presumably will be that Of the dill
gent canvasser, the hand-Shaker who can
60 out on the highways and byways and
convert the elusive voter. Just what part
Mr.. Truman will play remains to be seen.
There are areas in which he can be use
full. But we doubt that Mr.. Stevenson
will much want to avail himself of the
former Presidents whistle-stop, give EN-
hell talents.
This, in outline form, is the post
convention Democratic picture. Its de-
tails remain to be filled in. But the time
for that will come after the curtain has
been rung down on that other great
political show which gets under way to-
morrow in San Francisco's Cow Palace.
Meanwhile, the Democrats can take COM
fort from the fact that they have emerged
from their quadrennial Suggest with no
mortal wounds, and that their election
day prospects are as good as anyone could
have reasonably expected them to be.