Evening star., 1960-06-14
By DAVID S. BRODER
Star stan Writer


Texas Democratic Convention
today headed for a seemingly
inevitable blowup, despite stren-
uous efforts by hackers of
Senator johnson to come to
terms with the liberal-labor
forces who are bent on impos-
ing a party loyalty oath on the
delegates.
A long day of maneuVerlng
yesterday, including some fairly
substantial concessions by the
johnson forces. failed to pudge
the so-called "loyalists," from
their all-or-nothing stand.
81 Votes at Stake
Said Creeekmor Faith, secre-
taly-treaturer of the oath
seeking Democratic of Texas
Club: IF they don't take our
oath, we won't stay in their
convention"
The walkout expected today
would result in rival delegations
going to the national conven-
tion in Los Angeles, each CLAIM
ing the right to cast Texas 81
votes. The prospect makes
Senator Johnson'S friends livid
with rage.
At a $50-a-plate dinner last
night that raised $4,000 for
the Johnson presidential cam
paign, speaker, after speaker
tore in the diSsidentS.
Speaker Rayburn said, 81
cannot for the life of me see
how any Democrat or so-called |
Democrat in Texas can fail to
be working for the nomination
Of Senator Johnson" I
The possibility of a creden-
tialS contest in Los Angeles |
between rival Texas delega-
tions would, he said, "be a
shocking spectacle, one would
not enjoy and one I would not .
forget"
Just in case his listeners
doubted his meaning, Mr.. Ray
burn pointed out that whatever
happened to the johnson can !
didacy, he expected to be
Speaker of the, House in the
next Congress. with all the
power that Office commands.
The prospect of the split in
Texas Democratic ranks cast a
pail over the giant Embarrassing
dinner, described by its sponsors
as the biggest in the history of
this affluent State.
Senator johnson himself was
grim as he drew for his listen
ers parallel between the situ-
alton of the Nation confronting
Soviet Premier Khrushchev and
the Democratic Party confront
ing Vice President Nixon.
Abiding to his own support |
OF President Eisenhower in the /
U-2 and summit crises, the
Senator said: I'VE told him
(Mr. Khrushchev) the Demo-
cratic Party would not do his
work for him by dividing
America in this perilouS time. /
Refuse to Do NixOn's Work"
Similarly, he said, GOOD
Democrats should refuse to do
Mr.. NixOn's work for him by
splitting their own party"
Senator johnson declared he |
wanted no loyalty pledges for
himself, but in a meeting of |
the State Democratic Execu-
tive Committee yesterday, his
supporters went a long way |
toward meeting the loyaliSts' |
demands for a guarantee of !
support for the national ticket. |
The resolution they adopted |
Incorporated the exact Ian
guage of the loyalty rule pro-
posed by the Democratic Ma
tional Committee. 1t states an
understanding" that all dele
gates to today's convention
accept that pledge and offers
specific instructions to national
convention delegates, party
officers and presidential cleo
tors to carry out the pledge in
good faith.
Despite the seemingly sweep
ing nature of that guarantee,
the liberal-labor forces late
yesterday rejected it and in
sisted on seeking a personal
loyalty pledge from each dele
gate to today's convention, in
cluding those who were elected
but are not in attendance.
Behind their insistence, Mr..
Faith said, is a fear that when
the State convention meets
again in September, it may re-
pudiate the pledge to support |
the national ticket, if Senator
johnson is not on the ticket.
Mr.. Faith charged that John
son supporters have made a
secret deal with the Dixiecrats
those who bolted to President |
Eisenhower in 1852 and 1856
not to interfere with their bid
to control the September con-
vention.
johnson hackers rejected this
charge and said the liberal
loyaliSts were determined to
bolt today, no matter what
concessions they were offered.
TEXAS G. 0. P.