Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-07
Plank BACKING
Court Rulings
Is Discussed
Democratic Plan
Wouldn't Mention
Segregation Alone
BY J. A. O'LEARY

STAR CONVENTION BU-
REAU. CHICAGO. Aug. IA
plank calling for general COM
pliarce with Supreme Court de-
cisions, without restricting it to
school indignation, was being
discussed today as one basis of
compromise between the North
and South on the controversial
civil rights issue.
Representative Celler of New
York. a member of the platform
group, said he thought such an
approach might for the basis
for agreement.
Although the platform COM
mittee has heard testimony thus
far only on agriculture and for
eign policy, the touchy civil
rights plank is uppermost in the
minds of the 1903 members of
the Platform Committee, because
they realize it is the one issue
that could divide them and help
the Republicans to another vic
tory.
Diplomacy Needed
The big problem confronting
the Democrats is how to express
approval of the courts 1854 de-
cision outlawing school segrega-
ton without provoking the
Southerners into filing a mi
nority report.
At the same time, the Demo-
Gratis can hardly afford to avoid
any reference to the decision,
because the Republicans can be
expected to give the decision
wholehearted Endorsement in
their platform.
A general statement that Su-
preme Court decisions are the
law of the land would help meet
one of the Southern arguments
that there is no reason the Dem
ocratlc platform should single
out one of many decisions hand
ed down by the court since the
last convention four years ago.
The Platform Committee turned
TO foreign policy today, after de-
voting six hours yesterday to
lambaSting the handling of farm
problems by the Eisenhower
administration.
Former Senator Benton of
Connecticut. the first witness on
foreign affairs, charged that
after more than three years of
the Eisenhower administration
I'VE have fewer friends today,
and colder allies"
The neutrals are skeptical of
US. even to the point of con-
tempt" he continued. Our en-
emies are more confident. even
TO the point of arrogance.
In Fantastic Position
Mr. Benton said that by put
ting all emphasis on military
pacts, Secretary of State Dulles
has put this country in 1.-The fan
tastic position of having to con-
vince the world that we are for
peace"
He called for greater emphasis
on the non-military factors. in
Guiding revision of the immigra-
ton laws and taking greater
propaganda advantage of the
Russian drive to tear down Stain.
Representative Dodd of Con-
necticut. who is running for the
Senate against Republican Sem
ator Bush, urged a plank calling
for the United States to set up
an international commission
under NATO to document the
crimes against humanity. includ-
ing genocide, committed by the
international Communist con-
spiracy."
Another witness today, Robert
r. Nathan Of Americans for
Democratic Action, charged the
Eisenhower administration has
made a wooden and uncompro-
missing response" to the new
trend in Soviet policy. He urged
more intensive probing of the
possibilities for limitation of
ornaments under adequate safe
guards and a more sober I'M
emotional review of East-West
r-a.1:.oI -. nu r., ,