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Uneasy in Unity

Democrats Fail to Show Enthusiasm Although Battle Against Truman Collapses

S.J. Ray in The Kansas City Star, July 12, 1948

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Philadelphia, July 10 – The Democratic national convention, which many persons had expected to develop into a free-for-all fight to stop President Truman’s bid for the nomination, tonight appeared likely to be run off with the efficiency of an assembly line.

The way things are shaping up on the eve of the Monday opening doesn’t mean that the party is one big happy family. It is far from it.

Delegates, party bosses and the statesmen from Washington are downhearted over the prospects of November. Worse still is the empty cash box with little prospect of replenishment from those who contributed heavily when the late Franklin D. Roosevelt was the candidate.

The usual bands, banners and customary convention props were in evidence, but the enthusiasm definitely is on the synthetic side. It simply was a case of no one having his heart in the proceedings, which is a far cry from the days of the new deal when the Democrats almost literally knocked Republicans out of the way.

The “rebellion” of the South, fired by Mr. Truman’s proposals for equal rights for Negroes, ended as far as outward appearances are concerned when the long advertised caucus of anti-Truman delegates was called off.

James Roosevelt quit the fight and is among the reluctant “me, too,” boys who pledged their support to Harry Truman.

California Democrats showed they were not in complete accord with young Roosevelt’s opposition to the man his father selected as his running mate just four years ago. Young Roosevelt was bitterly denounced for his share in the anti-Truman activity when the California delegation caucused this afternoon shortly after their arrival in the Quaker city.

John P. McEnery, vice-chairman of the California delegation, called Roosevelt, the state’s chairman, a “hypocrite” and his activities a “disgrace.”

After heated debate during which Roosevelt remained silent, the delegation tabled, by a vote of 40 to 7, McEnery’s motion that he be dismissed from his party post.

Immediately after the California flare-up the “stop-Truman” caucus scheduled for tonight by leaders representing some big-city machines, labor-liberal groups and the dissident south, was called off.

This reflected the disintegration of the anti-Truman forces.

Senator J. Howard McGrath of Rhode Island, the national chairman, said the length of the convention would depend upon the length of the floor fight over the civil rights plank, and the number of nominating speeches for vice-president.

Some sources, however, reported that Mr. Truman intends to address the convention at a session Thursday, and has already completed his 15-minute speech.

A subcommittee was at work drafting the platform, with McGrath denying persistent reports that the document has already been written by the Truman administration and forwarded to the resolutions committee.

McGrath said that on civil rights, he thinks the 1944 platform language would be acceptable. That said: “We believe that racial and religious minorities have the rights to live, develop and vote equally with all citizens and share the rights that are guaranteed by our Constitution. Congress should exert its full constitutional powers to protect these rights.”

There is strong pressure, however, to strengthen this language with an endorsement of Mr. Truman’s 10-point civil rights program.

The southerners, who instead are plugging for a strong state’s rights plank, will have a conference Sunday to discuss their strategy.

The opening session Monday at 10 o’clock (Kansas City time) will consist of the usual welcoming speeches and organizational procedure. At 7 o’clock Monday, the night session will include the keynote speech by Senator Barkley. Representative Sam Rayburn of Texas, who will be the convention’s permanent chairman, will make his speech Tuesday night. Wednesday afternoon session will be devoted to the platform, with the presidential balloting, and possible for the vice presidential nominees, that night.