Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-06
NATIONAL SCENE
ADistrict Boost
For Stevenson

On Tuesday, Adlai Stevenson
again became the man to beat for
the Democratic presidential nomi-
nation.
A primary in the District of
Columbia that day assured Mr..
Stevenson Of the Capitals six dele
gates, and in Alabama, 20 delegate
candidates who favored him, each
with half a convention vote, were
elected while Senator Estes Ke-
fauver picked UP only Ia votes.
The Stevenson surge has been
slow and gradual, but sure, since
his almost disastrous defeat at the
hands of Senator Kefauver in Min
neSota on March 20. The 1852
nominee has picked UP strength bit
by bit in Illinois, New Jersey.
Pennsylvania and AlaSka-and now
the District and Alabama.
The District vote-first in 80
years here-was significant far
beyond the meager six votes D. c.
Democrats will have at the national
convention. Since the bulk of the
Capitals citizens still maintain at
least some roots in the States where
they once lived, it might be said
that Tuesdays vote represented a
croSS-Section of America There
were at the polls conservative Dem
OcratS who still call themselves
MidweSterners, liberals who go
home to New York State on week
ends, and Southerners with their
own notions about national candi-
dates. They gave Mr.. Stevenson
clear-cut victory
1t was clear-cut for a number of
reasons in addition to Mr.. Steven
sons decisive 2-to-1 margin. While
Senator Kefauver campaigned ac-
lively, Mr.. Stevenson left that job to
campaign workers. Also the de-
feated Kefauver slate was headed
by Joseph Donohue, long prominent
in District politics.
With the vote count still incom-
plete. election officials expected the
Republican vote to be almost equal
TO the Democratic, although Demo-
Gratis led in registrations. The Pres
ident took all the G. o. P. votes, of
course.
Alobomo Outcome
The Alabama primary results
showed that when there is a choice
between Mr.. Stevenson and Senator
Kefauver, Alabamians will take Mr..
Stevenson.
Alabama has 26 convention votes
held by So delegates. Forty of those
delegates definitely were elected
Tuesday and the remaining IL will
face run-off primary. Of the 40,
three are definitely pledged to Mr..
Stevenson and II list him as their
first choice. Three favored Senator
Kefauver, one Senator Richard B.
Russell Of Georgia, and the re-
mainder were unpledged.
Mr. StevenSon'S showing, how
ever, does not mean he is a popular
hero in Alabama. The II who favor
him stated that he was their choice
among the front-runners, which
also include Gov. Averell Hartman
Of New York and Senator Kefauver.
A Symington or a johnson could
make them forget Mr.. Stevenson.
Loyal Democrats now control
the State Democratic Executive
Committee, and all delegate candi-
dates were required to sign pledge
that they would support the nomi-
nee of the party before qualifying.
But the pledge is something Ala
bama delegates could-and prob
ably would-ignore if the conven-
ton selects a liberal like Gov. Har-
riman. Some of the elected dele
gates would walk out of the con-
vention with little more provoca-
ton than mention of the word lin
tegration But observers close to
the Alabama political scene main
tain that this is much less likely
than in 1913. when the Dixiecrats
controlled the party in the State.