National Affairs: Taking This Country to Hell

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After Stevenson's announcement came the long-planned Democratic powwow, sponsored by the national committee. Everybody was optimistic and harmonious, especially at the $100-a-plate dinner. But two mild family quarrels were noted: ¶ Facing an old and troublesome problem, he national committee worked out a face-saving compromise on the party's "loyalty oath." The meaningless new rule assumes that state Democratic organizations will place the nominees of the national convention on the state ballot under the Democratic symbol; it eliminates the old provision requiring a pledge by individual delegates. But not long after the compromise was approved, former National Chairman Stephen Mitchell, a chief adviser to Stevenson, said he would fight to keep out of the convention South Carolina's former Governor James F. Byrnes, Louisiana's Governor Robert Kennon, Texas' Governor Allan Shivers and former National Committeeman Wright Morrow. to these four, who bolted and supported Dwight Eisenhower in 1952, Mitchell applied a Western philosophy: "If you want to know what a cowboy will do when he's drunk, then find out what he did the last time he was drunk." ¶ Tennessee's Senator Estes Kefauver :charged that the national committee headed by Stevenson's friend Paul Butler, was showing "favoritism" toward Stevenson. After Butler denied the charge, Estes drawled that he was not really "complaining," and went on to say that he will announce his own campaign plans in mid-December, after conferring further with prospective supporters. "Have you had nore encouragement than you received in 1952?" a reporter inquired. "Certainly," said Estes, with a smile. "I didn't get my encouragement in 1952."

At the big dinner, Stevenson, Kefauver md New York's Governor Averell Harriman all followed the same line when they turned their attention to the Republicans. The G.O.P., they said, has turned the U.S. over to big business, destroyed the country's reputation abroad, and ruined the Farmers at home. But it was former President Harry Truman who used the hardest language against the G.O.P. President Dwight Eisenhower's Administration, said Truman, is "taking this country to hell."

As he spoke, Harry Truman clearly regarded himself as the key man in the Democratic Party during the coming year. His meetings with Stevenson, Kefauver and Harriman in Chicago prompted a reporter to ask him whether it was significant that "the other two men called on you, and you called on Governor Harriman." Said Harry Truman, with the broadest of grins: "They all have to call on me."