ustxtxb_obs_1960_01_15_50_00002-00000_000.pdf

LBJ WINS IN CAUCUS; RALPH VOTES ‘NO’ WASHINGTON Senator Yarborough’s cold determination to hold aloof from Senator Johnson’s Texas bandwagon is now unmistakable. By his vote with eleven other Senate liberals in Democratic caucus Tuesday a vote of clip Johnson’s power in the Senatehe set off speculation which was not farfetched that his aloofness might turn to support for some other candidate before Los Angeles. The Senate liberals scuffled with Johnson for about ten days. The matter came to a head in Democratic caucus Tuesday called because of their challenge. The issue was whether Johnson should continue appointing members of the Democratic policy committee or whether, as Sen. Gore proposed, Democratic senators should elect them. Johnson won, 51-12. Voting for election of the policy senators were Yarborough, Gore, and Sens. Douglas, Carroll, Clark, Hart, Humphrey, McCarthy, McNamara, Monroney, Morse, and Proxmire, the original Johnson challenger in the Senate. Surprise additions to the group for curbing Johnson were Yarborough, Gore, and Monroney. “It is obvious,” Douglas of Illinois said afterward, “that there are a number of senators at the moment who are not quite ready for democratic procedures, and instead prefer to live under political colonialism.” “It means that Sen. Lyndon B. Johnson has the support of the Democratic senators,” Gore said. But he said that his move “won a great deal. More attention will be focused on the need for democratic procedures in the Senate. We’re moving, and they are giving.” Johnson said he had always told !senators he would call caucuses at the request of any one of them. On the test vote he did not lose a single major committee chairman or Southern senator. The fact that those who voted with Gore included not only Yarborough, but also Midwestern and Northern liberals, however, was a dark omen for Johnson’s prospects in the Democratic convention at Los Angeles, since liberal forces are usually dominant at these events. Speaker Sam Rayburn was reported angry with Yarborough for refusing to join the Democratic Texas congressmen in backing Johnson. Rayburn endorsed Yarborough for t h e Senate and thought the favor should be returned. Yarborough friends made it clear he never promised to support anyone in return for Rayburn’s endorsement. “I couldn’t be more disappointed in a man than I was in what he did,” Rayburn !said. \(For more on Rayburn stepped aside as chairman of the Democrats’ national convention ‘so that, as he said, he could work for his candidate, Johnson. In a floor skirmish before the Tuesday caucus, Sen. Smathers accused Sen. Gore of “washing dirty linen” in public. Gore responded “This is not dirty linen,” but “goes to the heart of our twoparty system.” Johnson’s position was that the present policy committee represents every part of the country and “every political philosophy I can visualize.” Its members are Johnson, Mansfield of Montana, Hennings of Missouri, Green of Rhode Island, Hill of Alabama, Russell of Georgia, Kerr of Okla THE TEXAS OBSERVER Page 2 January 15, 1960 homa, Murray of Montana, and Hayden of Arizona. Johnson said after the caucus that the committee was misnamed as a policy committee and he was considering proposing to rename it along the lines of a “scheduling committee.” Other Developments On civil rights, this was the situation: Sen. Johnson said he is supporting his 1959 bill for a federal conciliation !service and will also back abolition of the poll tax in federal elections. Federal voting registrars will also be considered, he said. Debate is expected to begin about Feb. 15 in the Senate. Johnson, as a presidential candidate, is generally expected to be more liberal than before on civil rights. Speaker Rayburn refrained from advocating signatures by House members on the “discharge petition” which would release a civil rights bill from the rules committee. He said those who want such legislation can sign the petition and get it; 219 signatures are the needed number. “I’ve never signed a discharge petition I’m just pointing out that the easy way to get it up is to sign a petition,” Rayburn said. Liberal sources in Washington said the pending Hotie bill “hardly deserves the name ‘civil rights’,” but their hope is that it will be improved by amendment in the debates. backed former state representative, and Maco Stewart, liberal Young Democrats’ state president who also pulled in some .aristocratic vote, together received 14, 395 votes against a combined vote for the two leading conservatives in the race, Reps. Sam Bass of Freeport and Jerome Jones of Galveston, of 7,470. Meanwhile, a liberal attorney and !sometime political cartoonist, Neil Caldwell of Alvin, and a school teacher who is expected to lean toward the liberals, Ronald, Roberts of Hillsboro, won their House seats. In Pasadena, usually a liberal district, a dry cleaner, J. E. Ward ‘ of Glen Rose, won a House seat. Schwartz, winning the Senate seat he almost wrested from Sen. Jimmy .Phillips in 1958, supported the auto liability insurance rating plan in the closing days of The campaign. Stewart opposed it and criticized Schwartz’s role in passing the relevant insurance law. This was just about all they could find to fight about. The vote in the Senate race: Schwartz 8,274; Stewart, .6,121; Bass, 5,186 \(retiring him from public life, since Caldwell replaces Ullman Kilgore, League City and a Republican, 1,367; W. H. Boeker, Bay City, 324; Jimmy Wilcox, Freeport, 231. ‘Good Business Climate’ In Coleman, Atty. Gen. Wilson developed his conservative approach to taxing and spending. “More payrolls in Texas” is the goal, he said, “because there alone lies the key to an expanding prosperity.” Industry “is a wonderful device, created by the capitalistic system. Hot demagoguery against businesses as such can dry up Texas payrolls.” On the other hand, “The union is another wonderful device the capitalistic system has produced.’ One of the first requisites for a good business climate is a public officialdom whose members confine themselves to responsible statements about both management and la Yarborough took a stand beside, but at present somewhat advanced from, Johnson. “… a bill will pass this session,” he said. “The one that Sen. Johnson has proposed has many meritorious points in it. When voting rights are taken care of, many of these other problems will take care of themselves.” The administration is “very negligent” for not appointing voluntary groups to help handle racial conflict”Some cities have them, and they work.” Would he support federal registrars? He would back anything necessary to effectuate voting rights, he !said. Yarborough said in the first of his weekly radio reports from Washington that he will fight for his GI college bill, Padre Island park, a farm solution, more preparedness, lower interest rates, checking inflation, and improving school constructica and teachers’ pay. Responding to the President’s state of the union address, Johnson said the President should “recognize that cooperation is a two-way street”; Yarborough said it was mostly “glittering generalities” but expressed concern about high interest, about which Yarborough hoped the GOP would do something. Yarborough said Eisenhower admits the farm problem is getting worse but offers no remedy. Rayburn said Democrats will cooperate with Eisenhower on everything “to the advantage of the country,” but “It isn’t a question bor.” But how are more payrolls to be attracted? “Something must be done to pull money. into Texas,” Wilson said, “and we can only look to increased manufacturing to do it …. It is a matter of holding down the total cost of state government if we are to compete with other states, who are also seeking new industry …. The money that circulates in a community as the result of an industrial operation affects every single person in that community.” In his radio introduction, Wilson chose to be identified as a crusader against “organized crime” in Dallas County; as a vigorous law enforcement officer at the state level “against gambling rackets, quack doctors, and loan sharks,” and the Galveston brothels; as a lawyer and a law teacher; as a combat ‘veteran; as “a scholar, a successful public official, and an outstanding executive.” Many friends urged him to run against Daniel, others to seek reelection, he said. “I am neither aligned with nor obligated to Gov. Daniel and am perfectly free to run for governor.” He and Daniel had differed “many times” but cooperated when necessary “for the good of Texas.” He had decided in the South Pacific to spend his life in public service in “the hard end of it, which is holding elective office,” he said. The challenge of his present office is “continuing,” and he felt that “in this office I have made. !my greatest contribution so far.” On the other hand, anyone is glad to be mentioned for governor. Daniel, he said, “has accepted the responsibility of solving the financial crisis which has arisen during his administration”perhaps serving notice that should Daniel want a fourth term, he had better be invulnerable by then on this issue. “The central problem facing the next session …. is the elimination of a $67 million state deficit and the determination of a realistic tax policy,” he said. “Upon a careful balancing of the two courses of action, we have decided to seek re-election of cooperation with the President but of working for good legislation.” Rayburn, honored at birthday parties in Texas and then in Washington, is reported to have decided to retire from the Speakership at the end of the term for which he begins this year. Johnson’s Candidacy With so much policy, politics abated. Johnson told reporters political motives will be present in the Congress, but constructive legislation will be passed. Rayburn said Johnson has a “pretty fair” chance of getting the nomination. Rayburn denied talking to Harry Truman about Truman supporting Johnson. Larry Blackmon o f Mineral , Wells, contractor and financial director of the Johnson for President clubs, said there is a club now in every Texas county. John Connally, oilman, was named temporary chairman of the Tarrant County club; other business leaders completed the group’s temporary leadership. Gov. Daniel said of Senator Johnson in Dallas: “He is a serious candidate and is a serious contender … leaders of the nation will turn to him before this campaign is over.” The El Paso Labor Advocate official paper of El Paso and Odessa unionsasked how Johnson really feels about labor, reprinting parts of the Aug. 22 let … upon a continuing platform of aggressive law enforcement,” he said. He then !specifl, ,cd as his continuing tasks, suppressing anti-trust conspiracies with the powers’ of his office; investigating price-fixing in school construction and sales to cities and counties; completing litigation to clarify water rights and also to uphold the public’s right to use the beaches; and batting down Texas loan ,sharks. When he became Attorney General, he said, 1,500 loan sharks were “preying upon the working people of Texas,” but now there are less than 800 of the companies left, and 300 cases are pending in the courts. Teachers Waiting Jack Cox, running against Daniel, accused him of “broken promises” to the teachers, with the school children “the losers.” Marshall. Formby, still sounding the drums against Daniel to see how many echoes he gets, said “all past obligations need not be considered factors” in a third term bid, but he added, “I am not mad at Price Daniel.” Formby suggested a public referendum to find out if the people prefer a general sales tax or a personal income tax. Daniel toyed with the carrot for the teachers again during an Austin meeting of 1,200 !school administrators. In a formal speech he told of the dangers of federal financing of schools. He told reporters that he “stilt hopes” teachers’ pay can be raised “before the regular session,” but, he said, “It will depend on whether something can be worked out on finances ahead of time.” Mrs. Mary Alexander, state president of the Texas State Teachers’ Assn., said there is little hope for a pay raise if Daniel does not call a session promptly after Feb. 1. Sanders Not Running Daniel turned toward the legislative question during a Texas Press Assn. press conference in Dallas, saying there will be .harmony in the legislature wlien the ter Johnson sent to business friends on his labor voting record. The letter “has risen to haunt his efforts and possibly defeat his chances to be president,” said the paper. Columnist Marquis Childs said Johnson “is out to put together a bloc of Johnson delegates.” “On the score of his convictions, Johnson increasingly merits the label conservative,” Childs wrote. Yarborough held fast to his refusal to endorse Johnson or anybody for the Democratic nomination. Asked point blank if he would back Johnson as favorite son, he said he would support the party’s nominee. Before declaring his choice, he said he would have to “wait and see who all the candidates are and the circumstances deciding the situation,” an indicationhis firstthat he might support someone in advance of the convention. Asked if Kennedy’s Catholicism will hurt him, Yarborough said no. The GOP is trying to wreck Democratic hopes by this argument and by saying Johnson cannot be elected because from Texas nor Stevenson because twice defeated, Yarborough said. In a radio broadcast, Yarborough said “Texans may take justifiable pride in whatever progress furnish the two men House Speaker Sam Rayburn and Majority Leader Lyndon Johnsonupon whose leadership much depends.” people select legislators “who will speak for them.” Announcing for re-election were State Senators Bill Fly, Victoria; Bill Wood, Tyler; Doyle Willis, Fort Worth, \(who may or may not be opposed by Rep. Don Ken\(to be opposed by, Rep. Zeke Zbranek of Liberty, who is leavBrownsville, \(opposed by Rep. Moffett, Chillicothe. One expected Senate race did not materialize when Rep. Alonzo Jamison of Denton, in Weatherford Sen. Floyd Bradshaw’s district, announced for re-election to the House. All six liberals in the House delegation from Houston drew opponents as expected. Jim Nugent, a Kerrville attorney, announced against fellow townsman Rep. Joe Burkett, who ran for Speaker in 1959. J. Evetts Haley, Jr., son of the right-wing Canyon individualist, announced against Rep. Ted springer, the liberal from Amar