Democrats: Hints of Malaise

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Upthink all the way was the intended theme as the Democratic National Committee and members of the Cam paign Conference for Democratic Women converged on Washington last week for their pre-election rah-rah session. Unsurpassed prosperity and the unmatched legislative record of the 89th Congress seemed the ideal sword and buckler for the combat ahead. "Go forth," enjoined Hubert Humphrey, "with almost a crusading zeal to talk about not only what we've done, but how we've done it."

The issues looked less clear-cut to grass-roots-sniffing committeemen. For one thing, the Great Society legislation of 1965 loses much of its immediacy as a campaign pitch for 1966. The overriding popular concern, delegates made clear, is the U.S. commitment in Viet Nam. Michigan's Neil Staebler spoke for many of the 110 National Committee members when he said:

"We keep asking the people in Washington to clarify the situation in Viet Nam. There are lots of doubts and the people want them resolved."

Problem No. 1. Congressmen of both parties returning from the Easter recess expressed the same preoccupation. The war, said Democratic Representative Donald Irwin of Connecticut, "is on people's minds to such a degree that nothing else can compare with it." Several of the 3,800 participants in the women's conference were even more direct. "There's got to be an end to it soon," declared Adelia Marks of Ohio. Said Utah's Lucy Redd: "Viet Nam is the No. 1 problem with our women. A lot of them are going to vote against the Administration." The Democratic ladies themselves displayed an unnerving degree of adoration for the President. Engulfing him in the White House, they jostled feverishly to bestow coos and kisses on Lyndon Johnson, knocking furniture and objets d'art pell-mell in a mob scene reminiscent of Andrew Jackson's era.

Despite such delirium, delegates were soberly concerned about the campaign issues. Even Humphrey had to admit that "the struggle in Viet Nam has overshadowed the record of domestic progress." Nonetheless, he urged, "it's your duty to put this in perspective. We're spending $1 billion more this year than last on the children of the poor. I hope we can bring this tragic war to a close. But I hope that those who complain that Viet Nam is choking our spending at home will, after the war is over, be among the first to pass legislation to provide more money for the war on poverty."

"Say Your Catechism." There were other hints of malaise. Some Southern- ers feared that the Johnson Administration's enforcement of civil rights laws would prompt renewed defections to the G.O.P. Others thought that voter apathy would be the Democrats' biggest problem this year. Moreover, the National Committee headquarters has been reduced in size and deprived of much of its authority by the White House; and National Chairman John Bailey has little entree to the President's office. The staff cutback was attributed to economy; the Democrats still owe $2,400,000 from the 1964 election. Arthur Krim, president of United Artists Corp., was appointed finance chairman to head a $5,000,000 fund drive to pay off the old lOUs and bankroll this year's activities.