Kankakee Valley Post, Volume 18, Number 13, DeMotte, Jasper County, 20 February 1948 — DEMOCRATS RECOIL ON TWO FRONTS [ARTICLE]

DEMOCRATS RECOIL ON TWO FRONTS

Wallace Victory In New York, Rebellion In South Stir Party Members

Washington, Feb. 18.—Aroused by Bronx cheers and rebel yells, Democratic party chieftains intensified plans today to get out the Truman vote for the fall showdown. Even while the party faithfuls assembled here for tomorrow night’s Jefferson-Jackson day dinner, their national chairman sounded this warning:

“The Democratic party will make a grave mistake if it does not learn a lesson from the results of the special election in the 24 th (Bronx) congressional district of New York.” And Chairman J. Howard McGrath added: “It is evident that the fight against Communism on the left i and Toryism on the right cannot J be won unless every Democrat re- j solves to get out and vote.” McGrath did not explain to whom the “Toryism” applied, whether to Republicans or Southern Democrats who are up in arms over President Truman’s civil rights program.

But a leader of the Dixie revolt, Governor Strom Thurmond, of South Carolina, was revealed to have cancelled reservations for tomorrow night’s fund raising festivities. These will be featured by i a radio address by the president from 10 to 10:30 p.m. EST. Thurmond heads a committee of five Southern governors who will confer with national party leaders here Monday. At that time the civil rights issue is expected to be threshed out. McGrath’s statement appeared to sum up the party reaction to the election of a Henry Wallacesupported candidate to Congress in New York yesterday. Although Democrats stressed the small vote cast in comparison with previous years, none made light of the fact that Wallace’s third party was emerging as a more serious threat to their presidential hopes. President Truman offered no comment on the developments, but he received two special callers who i did. /

Chester Bowles, former OPA chief, told reporters they had discussed the American Labor party’s victory in New York. he

told the president he hoped it “will wake the Democratic party up.” What Mr. Truman replied was not disclosed. Bowles predicted a “very tough fight” for the Democrats this fall and added:

“Too many young people are inclined to say ‘a plague on both your houses.’ If the Democratic party is going to win those people back it has to get back to the principles of the New Deal and outline a second New Deal.” -