Evening star., 1960-03-15
Morse Gets Backinq
Of D. c. Party Unit
Wheeler Hit;
Move Called
'Opportunism'
BY CHARLES d. PIERCE
Star Stafi Writer

BY CHARLES ID. PIERCE
Star Stan Writer
The District Democratic Gen.
trail Committee decided last
night to back Senator Morse,
Democrat of Oregon, in the
presidential preference primary
here May 3.
This action provoked charges
that A. L. Wheeler, Central
Committee chairman and also
chairman of the Morse cam
paign here, has been guilty of
political opportunism.
w. John Kenney, chairman
of the D. C. Committee for
Humphrey, charged that Mr..
Wheeler had delivered the
Central Committe to Senator
Morse because the Humphrey
group refused to make a deal
with him.
Seymour M. Chase. president
of the District Draft Stevenson
Committee. accused Mr..
Wheeler of political "cynicism"
and said I'VE are shocked to
learn that the official party
committee has taken a parti-
san position in a primary elec-
ton.
Closed Meeting
The Central Committee voted,
IA to 8, in closed meeting to
support Senator Morse after
Humphrey supporters had
vainly argued that the commit
tee should take no position in
the primary contest, according
to Joseph L. Rauh. jr., COM
mittee vice chairman.
In another development last
night, the Draft Stevenson
Committee became the first
group to announce formation
of a slate of candidates for
delegate and alternate to the
Democratic National Conven-
ton.
This slate will be pledged
to support Adlai E. Stevenson,
twice the Democratic presiden-
tial nominee, but who now
disavowS any presidential am
bitions.
Senator Morse and Senator
Humphrey, Democrat of Min
neSota, are the only announced
candidates in the presidential
preference primary campaign
here.
Deal Attempt Reported
In a statement on the action
of the central committee in in
dorsing Senator Morse, Mr..
Kenney said:
Last November Chairman
A. L. Wheeler of the D. C.
Democratic Central Committee
came to me and offered the
support of the central commit
tee to Senator Humphrey if our
Humphrey committee would
agree to support the existing
central committe for re-elec-
ton.
1--WE rejected Mr.. Wheeler's
proposed deal because we did
not believe that the Humphrey
committee should enter into
central committee politics or
should agree to perpetuate the
present Wheeler dominated
committee. Rebuffed by the
Humphrey group, Mr.. Wheeler
has now delivered the central
committee Endorsement to Sem
ator Morse in reprisal.
I'm 1856, the central COM
mittee did not indorse any
candidate. No doubt the de-
cision not to indorse in 1856
was influenced by the fact that
after the central committee in
dorsed Senator Kefauver in
1852 Averell Hartman won the
election to l. A repetition of
the 1852 upset for the central
committee would seem to be in
the cards"
Describing the committee ac-
ton as "unconscionable," Mr..
Chase said that Mr.. Wheeler
and his followers are to be
severely censured."
Stevenson Supporter
Those selected by the Draft
Stevenson Committee as its
candidates for delegate to the
Democratic National Conven-
ton are:
Albert F. Adams, attorney:
Norman Bernstein, real estate
man; Joseph Borkin, attorney:
Huver I. Brown, attorney: Reed
Bundy, magazine editor: George
Bum, attorney; Clinton w,
Chapman, attorney; Mr.. Chase:
the Rev. Everett A. Hewlett,
minister; Mrs. Isabella Stuart
Kelly, director of the D. c.
Multiple Sclerosis Society; Mrs.
Louise B. Meekins. teacher;
Mrs. Sarah H. Newman, civic
worker; Mrs. Elizabeth Odom,
community worker; Byron N.
California member of Congress;
Scott, attorney and former
]. Leon Williams, attorney, and
Mrs. Minnie l.. Banks, real
octoto hrnEnr