Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-11
Rivals in Two
Southern States
[Fiqht for Seats
BY ALEX r. PRESTON.

STAR CONVENTION BU-|
REAU, CHICAGO.-The busi-
ness of making up a temporary
roll so that the national con-
Ivention can get under way Mon
day occupied the Democratic
National Committee today.
To be decided were the quail
lif1cations of delegations from
Mississippi and South Carolina.
The issue in both instances is
party loyalty.
A credentials subcommittee of
of the national committee heard
testimony from opposing fac
lions in both States for more
than three hours yesterday.
On one side were the Demo-
cratic regulars" who have left
the way open for a party bolt if
the national party's platform
goes too strong for civil rights
or if an unacceptable candidate
gets the nomination.
On the other side were the
"loyalist" Democrats who voted
for Adlai Stevenson in 1852 and
who are willing to vote for him,
or some other acceptable candi-
date this year.
AZ Votes at Stake
A total of AZ nominating votes
| is at stake in the decision to be
reached today by the national
committee. Mississippi has %
votes and South Carolina has 20.
The contesting delegation from
South Carolina is headed by
John H. McCray, colored, of Co
Ilumbia.
Picturing Negro experiences in
the South, Mr.. McCray said a
cross was burned in the front
yard Of one Of those who was
elected as a national convention
delegate by his faction. The
delegate, he said, received a note
saying: Warning. Do not show
up in Chicago"
We are not a separate con-
testing party" Mr.. McCray said.
1--WE are part of the Democratic
Party and We honestly believe it
is the best party in the land. Up
until l948 we had operated as a
separate IND competing party
but after the Supreme Court de-
ciSion settled the white primary
rule, We abolished our group and
have worked ever since as divi-
sion of the Democratic Party"
1852 Aid Is Cited
Mr.. McCray said Mr.. Stevenson
carried South Carolina by almar-
gin of 1922 votes in 1852, largely
through the efforts of the pro
gressive" Democratic group
which he presents. In 1948, he
said. the regular" Democrats
carried the State for j. Strom
Thurmond on the States Rights
ticket.
I'm 1948," Mr.. McCray said,
1--WE had people slashed when the
regular" Democrats didn't want
us to vote.
The regulars were defended
by L. Marion Grissett, a State
Senator, whose principal argu-
ment was that his group has
complied with all requirements
OF South Carolina State law in
nominating its convention dele
gates. He said the progressive"
faction had failed to comply
with the State law.
The Mississippi contest in
velved Gov. j. P. Coleman and
Senator EaStland, for the reg
ulars" on the one hand and an
Episcopal minister, the Rev. G. H.
Hamilton of Corinth, on the
other.
Mr.. Hamilton said voters were
compelled to subscribe to an
oath that they believed in the
principle of segregation before
they could take part in the
Democratic primary in his State.
This insistence on dis
obedience to law is in itself a
conspiracy to violate the Con-
stitution," he said.
Gov. Coleman Appears
Senator Eastland did not ap-
pear before the committee but
the cause Of his regulars" was
defended by Gov. Coleman.
Gov. Coleman never replied di-
rectly to the charge of requiring
an oath to defend segregation,
but he argued that his State had
a record of voting for Demo-
cratic candidates. Mr.. Stevenson
carried his State by some 10000
votes in 1852, Gov. Coleman EN-
lpldSlZeQ. ssa
The hearing was presided over
by Calvin w. Rawlings of Utah.
Mr.. Rawlings said the hearing
was conducted by a subcommittee
of the Democratic National
Committee which, in turn. would
submit its recommendations for
a temporary roll to the creden-
tials committee of the National
Convention Monday morning.
Mr.. Rawlings also heads the
conventions credentials commit
tee. He said that factions losing
in the decisions to be reached
today could appeal to the con-
vention's credentials committee