Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-26
Major Split Divides
District Democrats
Factions Bitter
In Stevenson,
Kefuuver Bottle
BY J. v. HORNER


acknowledged today that a
major split had developed at the
local level between factions who
are supporting Adlai Stevenson
and Senator Kefauver for the
presidential nomination.
Unable to reach an agreement
which might presrve some SEM
blance of harmony. the two fac
tons are warning bitterly over
the election of the new District
Democratic Central Committee
in the voting here next Tuesday.
Some leaders of the two groups
sought to hold the party together
by indorsing the same slate of
candidates for the local commit
tee while backing different states
in the contest for seats at the
Democratic National Convention.
The latter contest will determine
whether the city's six convention
votes are cast for Mr.. Steven
son or Senator Kefauver.
Broken Promise Alleged
A. L. Wheeler, chairman Of
the party here. said the idea was
to achieve harmony at the local
level because there are too
many issues other than the pres
idential nomination" which af-
feet the committee.
I'VE spent IL years building
up the Central Committee into
what we think is good cross
section of the party" he said.
I'VE didn't want to spoil it
overnight SO we tried to get to-
gether on one slate of candi-
dates for the committee in this
election"
! Mr.. Wheeler, who is support
ing Mr.. Stevenson, charged that
the District Kefauver- for Presi-
dent Club broke a promise to
distribute sample ballots which
would list all the names of the
slate for the committee.
The Kefauver groups sample
ballot lists the names of all
candidates for the central COM
mittee, group spokesman said.
Thereupon, he said, the Ste
for-President Club de-
cided to issue sample ballot
which carries the names of only
those candidates who are back
ing Mr.. Stevenson.
i Sundlun Statement
A somewhat different version
was offered by the Kefauver
club. Bruce Sundlun, director
lof the District campaign, issued
a statement in which he said:
1.-THE Kefauver Committee Of
fered to let the Central Com
mittee use our lists and name
plates at half cost to send out
its own sample ballot, but ap-
Iparently the committee got
more from the other side.
THE facts are that the ke-
fauver sample ballot treats all
candidates for the Central Com
mittee equally - regardless Of
whether they are for Kefauver
or Stevenson. The ballot beings
used by the Central Committee,
however, does not such thing
that ballot ignores the Kefauver
candidates and members.
THE whole incident just
proves the well-known political
fact that party central COM
mittee just cannot stay neutral
between candidates. To be as
neutral as it should be. the Gen.
trial Committee ought to put out
its own sample ballot showing
both the Kefauver and Steven
son members.
Instead the Central Commit
tee chose to duck it's obligation
to be fair and decided to lose it's
independence and neutrality for
the sake of having its ballot
printing costs paid for by Sena-
tor Kefauver's opponents.
This action is not particu-
Ilarly surprising because most of
the Central Committee members
have been directly or indirectly
for Stevenson anyway"
MI. Sundlun said he checked
his statement with F. Joseph
Donohue, Kefauver national
campaign manager and candi-
date for national committeeman
and delegate on the local Ke-
fauver slate. before releasing it
to the press.
Lamb and Hart Meet
On the Republican front. anti
organization leader George P.
Lamb finally got a face-to-face
meeting with District G.. o. P.
Chairman George L. Hart, jr.,
whose leadership he has been
denouncing.
He renewed the attack at a
meeting of the Foggy Bottom
Restoration Association, but
Chairman Hart ignored the as
sault. Instead. he discussed the
growth of democracy.
This led Mr.. Lamb TO declare
later that the performance Of
Mr.. Hart confirmed his belief
that Mr.. Hart did not want in
dependents and Democratic vot-
ers to join the Republican cause.
Mr.. Lamb said this runs direct
ly against the express wishes
Iof President Eisenhower.
Mr.. Lamb is a candidate for
Republican National Committee
man and for the party's national
convention. Mr.. Hart also Is
running for election as a con-
vention delegate. with support