Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-12-12
VOTE
VOTE
Democrats
Organizing
For 1864
Continued From Page B-l

concentrating instead on build
ing an organization capable OF
reaching an apathetic electo-
rate. Committee members have
named chairmen in SIS of the
citV's So precincts. They have
assigned city problems like
highways, welfare and home
rule to committees which rec
oniommended party positions.
They are organizing TO get &C
ross Kennedy policies-espec-
tally those lige housing, medi-
care and civil liberties with a
special appeal for Negro voters.
This awkward, growing Or
gailization is the first creature
Of the party ever to spread
through the whole city. While
still In its infancy in 1864, 1t
presumably would deliver its
votes to sustain local commit
teemen who fathered it.
But Democrats of established
reputation - on the outside
looking in predict President
Kennedy will draw support
from segments of the commun-
lily. ignored by the official"
party. From these segments,
they say, will come future vot-
ers primarily loyal. not to the
party, but to long organized
occupational and social groups.
Fear ADA Captured
ssThere are thousands of
them. They're Democrats, but
not ADA Democrats" one out
sider said. They think the
party has been captured by
ApAers who've turned into try
ants of the first order"
The Americans for Demo-
cratic Action is a tag worn
proudly by Joseph Rauh, prob
ably the single most influential
man within the current party
hierarchy. Mr.. Rauh organized
the slate that in 1860 unseated
former Committee Chairman
AL. Wheeler, who had served
fdrsl2 years. Mr.. Rauh himself |
was not elected. But Robert |
Nathan, who succeeded Mr..
Ranh as president of the ma
tipnal ADA, and the rest of the |
slate was. And Mr.. Nathan re-
signed to make room for Mr.. |
Ranh, who subsequently wSsI
elected committee vice chair |
man and often speaks for
Chairman w. John Kenney.
Never a man to shy from
controversy, Mr.. Rauh likely
would relish a contest for lead
ership.
president Kennedy could only
gain from a power tug-of-war
irf that it would attract fac
tional voters, all clearly Ken
nedy partisans. AS a matter of
fact, the President initially was
supported in 1860 by none of
the warning factions. They
were pledged to Humphrey,
Morse. Stevenson and Syming-
toni So. the White House might
wen welcome another vote to
test city-wide strength of lead
els all of whom seek the Presi-
dents confluence.
Moving spirits of change are
identified mostly with the old |
Morse and Symington camps,
but their roots sink deeper in
city activities.
:. On and Off
Democrats say they include,
on the Central Committee, F. |
Joseph Donohue, George Boden |
and Margaret Just Butcher. |
Mrs. Butcher never has offered
TO resign although some pres
sure has been put on her. She's
midway through a four-year
residence in Casablanca, where
she receives minutes Of every
committee meeting.
off the committee are men
Ike these whose friends think
they should be on: Mr.. Wheeler,
JsC. Turner, Walter Bierwagen,
Charles Wilson, Robert Morris
Arthur Smith, Francis Kane,
HeMord Lawson, Woolsey Hall
and DeLong Harris. Mr.. Har-
rfsf unlike most of the outs"
10 working on the precinct level.
Only a fuss between labor
and the Central Committee now
ppss an organized threat to
Democrats in control. Labor
leaders are actively negotiating
for more Central Committee
representation. Mr.. Turner,
who heads the Central ALL
Go Council, says he person.
any isn't interested in joining
the committee because he sees
aHconflict Of interest"
But former District Commits
sioner Donohue said he'd nomi-
mated Mr.. Turner for every
committee slot vacated In the
last two years. The labor lead
er lost by a whisker," accord
ING to Mr.. Donohue. He be-
lieves Mr.. Turner. as the larg-
est, vote-getter except for Ma
tional Committeeman Frank
Reeves who beat him. should