MICHIGAN: Prodigy's Progress

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In Chicago, Moody and Soapy were in the truculent forefront of the disastrous, disingenuous attempt to bind the South with the loyalty oath (TIME, July 28). Behind them, egging them on, was Walter Reuther. Moody's performance for the cause was the most appalling of all, for in his arguments before the credentials committee he became so mixed up that his ally, New York's Franklin Roosevelt Jr., had to straighten him out—which is like being saved from drowning by a three-year-old boy.

On the presidential nomination, Michigan's 40 votes were pledged to Soapy as a favorite son. Soapy had no illusions about his chances for the top job—this year—but he was not beyond hoping that lightning might strike for the Vice Presidency. Hicks Griffiths, Soapy and Moody swung Michigan to Estes Kefauver after the first ballot. This, too, proved to be a disastrous piece of political miscalculation. On the third ballot, Michigan scrambled on to Stevenson's bandwagon. Said Hicks Griffiths sadly, as he answered to the poll of the delegation: "I give up. Stevenson."

Explaining Soapy. The big question in the minds of Soapy's ardent friends and well-wishers is whether he can ever revert to the independent old Soapy of Salisbury, Princeton and Michigan. Or will his political indebtedness, like his graying hair, increase as he progresses further into politics? The questions are extremely pertinent because Soapy, as ever, has budgeted his time closely. He would like to be in the Senate by 1954 and in the White House by 1960.

Soapy's old Princeton buddy Stan Backus is a solid Republican, but last week he voiced a kind of pathetic bipartisan concern about the prodigy. "Today, when the class of '33 gets together, we talk about Soap," said Backus. "He's the guy who has done the most and gone the farthest. But I've stopped trying to explain him to my friends. For a while I would stand up for him and make excuses for his actions. But I can't any more. It's strange. We always looked to Soapy for ideals. But now I wonder if he hasn't scuttled them for practical politics."