The Farmville herald and farmer-leader. (Farmville, Va.) 1934-1957, 1956-08-10
BY W. d. WORKMAN, JR.
Correspondent


Columbia, S. c., Aug. 1T h e
Southern fight for an acceptable"
Democratic platform for 1856 really
is aimed more at party policy than
at the platform itself,
What Southerners want is an un-
derStanding. tacit or otherwise. that
the national Democratic Party will
not try to force further civil
rights or desegregation measures
down the throat of the South. The
essence Of any such understanding
will be in the frame of mind of
Democratic leaders rather than in
the printed words of the platform.
although the overt fight will I'M
doubtedly be based on that docu-
ment.
Political platforms are remark
able in their capacity for being all
things to all people. If couched in
the platitudinous phrases so charac-
teristic of the professional polite
ian, they are seldom subject to de-
tailed attack 1t is only when they
seek to spell out in definite terms
some specific objective that they
become conversial and divisive.
Meanings Differ
All Democrats. for example. can
subscribe to a belief in "ConStitu-
t,onal government But what the
Constitution means to a Northern
Democrat may be quite distinct
from what 1t means to a Southern
Democrat. In the current bitter
fight over school segregation. South
erners are firmly convinced that
true and literal Interpretation of
the Constitution supports their con-
tention that public education i.
function Of the States. On the other
hand. non-Southern Democrats ar
que that the Supreme Court is the
final interpreter of the Constitution.
and that its Interpretation becomes
part of the Constitution
Similarly. there are. and will con-
tinue to be. widely varying inter-
pretations of party platforms. The
1852 platform of the Democratic
Party was regarded as being rela-
lively mild on the subject of civil
rights. yet in that plank are suf-
ficient words and differences to per-
NIT Of broadly diverse views:
I'VE will continue our efforts to
eradicate discrimination based on
race. religion or national origin. We
know this task requires action. not
just in one section of the country,
but in all sections. 1t requires the
cooperative efforts of individual
citizens and action by state and To-
cal governments. 1t also requires
Federal action ...
I'VE favor Federal legislation eff
fectively to secure these rights to
everyone: ~ The right to equal op-
portunity for employment: (2) the
right to security of persons; ~ the
right to full and equal participa-
ton in the nations political life,
free from arbitrary restraints
This year. there is considerable
doubt that such a civil rights plank
will be soft enough to gain Southern
support. or strong enough to satisfy
Northern liberals. The Democrats
of two Northern states. Michigan
and Massachusetts. already have
called for much stronger statements
on the subject. Both call for the
elimination Of segregation and both
demand compliance with the decis-
ions of the Supreme Court Any
such statements in the national
Democratic platform are bound to
start convention fight
There is strong suspicion among
many Southern Democrats that
such a fight is inevitable. despite
outward professions of party har-
mony. But here again, the real
fight will be for party control-the
dictation Of party policy-rather
over choice of words in the plat
form. Whether justified or not, it is
the fear held by substantial group
of Southerners:
Party Faction
That the labor liberal faction with
in the National Democratic Party
Harry Truman. Walter Reuther,
Mennen williams, Hubert Hurnph-
rey, ct all may virtually write off
the 1885 presidential election and
concentrate on gaining control Of
the party for 1850 II gaining con-
troll means alternating the South,
then out goes the South. Truman
won in l948 despite a Southern de-
lection. so the emphasis has turned
to getting and keeping the big city.
l..