ustxtxb_obs_1962_03_02_50_00008-00000_000.pdf

tof Ernest Bailey of the Hous ton Press took an opinion sampling on the governor’s race at Houston’s bus and train sta tions and the airport and found Daniel and Yarborough running ahead in the Democratic primary and Cox a sure choice for GOP nomination . . . Bo Byers of the Chronicle took a sampling of his own “from businessmen, labor leaders and workers, campaign staffers, reporters, taxicab drivers, and barbers,” and reached these “probable” conclusions: the Democratic gubernatorial run-off wilt be between Daniel and either Connally or Yarborough, Turman and either Bob Baker or Preston Smith will be in the lieutenant governor run-off, Waggoner Carr and Reavley in the attorney general. Those polled “think Wilson, Walker, and Formby will trail.” frog’ The executive committee of the now inactive Democrats of Texas will meet in Austin ‘just prior to the next meeting of the State Democratic Coalition, the date still not set, to determine if it will go along with the Coalition’s choices. frof Bill Gardner of the Houston Post wrote that Texas labor leaders “concerned about the dis affection of their Latin-American friends . . . are trying to make amends.” AFL-CIO president Hank Brown and his lieutenants “hope and believe” that “the re sentment of the Latin Americans regarded as snubs and slights by labor has been erased.” The labor leaders feel “they went a long way toward healing that breach” at the COPE meeting last week. When some of these grievances were expressed by Latin union men at the meeting, a humorous comment by Paul Montemayor, COPE member from Corpus Christi, dispelled the tension. Said Montemayor: ” ‘I voted against COPE and for Gonzalez last year, and was accused of being a poor organization man. This year I’m voting with COPE and against PASO, so I guess I’ll be accused of being a poor Mexican.’ ” vof Influential conservatives are firmly lining up behind Carr for attorney general and J. Manley Head for congressman-atlarge. Reavley is getting some conservative and a lot of middleroad support against Carr. g o or Paul Thompson, columnist for the San Antonio Express, wrote this week: “Loyal Democrats running against Daniel uniformly assail the governor for seeking a fourth term. If this dig starts to draw blood, Daniel can always turn around and ask them: ‘How many times did you vote for FDR?’ ” 5001 Albert Pena, San Antonio Latin jefe, ripped into Dick Meskill, columnist for the Alamo Messenger, Catholic nea,vspapr of the San Antonio diocese, who last PASO endorsement of Daniel as demonstrating “that its high flown purposes have been worm eaten by selfish -interests.” Pena called Meskill a “political dwarf,” denied that Daniel .made promises on a district judgeship and , 100 patronage jobs, and said “IDASO is not so presumptuous that it feels its endorsements will be fol lowed by all Spanish-speaking people.” . . . Cong. Henry Gon zalez’ two speaking appearances in San Antonio last week were his fourth and fifth since his election. He has also spoken at McAllen, Fresno, Calif., and Harvard. He has no opposition for re-election. g o 00 Daniel came out for a state park in the Big Thicket, East Texas. State Parks chairman Maurice Turner warns a crisis may occur in state parks this year if tourism increases. Park facilities, he said, cannot handle many more visitors, although a 20 percent increase in tourists is expected . . . Sen. Ralph Yarborough’s 88.5-mile Padre Island national seashore bill reached its most advanced stage since introduction when it was reported out favorably by the Senate interior and insular affairs committee. Yarborough, who called the action “a cause for rejoicing,” said Congress should “act now, not next year.” Yarborough also came out this week for a greatly increased exchange program with students from other countries. g o of Ben. H. Bagdikian, writing in last week’s Saturday Evening Post, says the vice-presidency has provided Lyndon Johnson with an acceptable way to continue his campaign to become president. The “old” Lyndon, cloakroom manipulator, has given way to the “new” Lyndonexecutive consultant, policy administrator, foreign emissary_ “The upgrading of the vice-presidency under Eisenhower has been accelerated under Kennedy . . , Johnson himself discourages talk about the future. But he is only 53 and ,still hungers to be president. I talked with more than a dozen of the vice-president’s closest advisors and associates, and all are certain that Johnson intends to become president.” . . . Johnson told the President’s Committee on Equal Employment that opening the way to equal employment opportunities is not enough. “We are going to try to find some longrange recommendations to make up for many years of neglect,” he said. “The real problem is to break down old habits of thinking and old ways of doing things so we can end the injustice and discrimination that undoubtedly exist.” He said 52 firms employing some 3.5 million workers had signed progress reports with the government. Office Rotation and Revolutionary Platform g o of Atty. Gen. Will Wilson’s recent statements in the gubernatorial campaign disprove the speculation in some quarters that he might be taking a turn toward the middle-road. In a letter circulated around the state, he said “you want blunt talk, honest answers, straightforward thinking.” He described himself as a “conservative Democrat,” Gov. Price Daniel and Don Yarborough as “liberals,” and John Connally as “the Washington candidate.” He said he is for the right-to-work law, for applying the anti-trust laws to labor unions and against any new taxes. In recent speeches Political Intelligence across Texas he has attacked the “excessive pOwer of labor.” His other planks: operation of state government in the black, revision of the tax structure, raising of educational standards, vigorous law enforcement, implementation of the state medical program for the aged, revision of the state constitution and criminal laws, and equal rights for women. V Seven gubernatorial candi dates appeared before 175 county presidents at the state Farm Bureau meeting in Dallas. No endorsement was made, and the purpose was to sound out the candidates on a broad range of issues. In an earthy exchange, Wilson said: “I favor crop rotation and rotation in office. I’m against a fourth term for governor.” And Daniel replied: “I practice rotation on my farm at Libertyand I have some tracts that, when properly fertilized, will last eight years” \(or, in the political Connally told the group he favors control of schools at the local level and will refuse federal aid to education which carries federal controls. He said he would advocate no new taxes at this time. On questions dealing with state taxes, budget, schools, labor, welfare, and states’ rights, Daniel and Connally differed only on taxes. Connally said he is against exemptions of items of production from farming and manufacturing, Daniel said he favors these exemptions. Wilson agreed with Connally. .General Edwin Walker comneented: “I don’t think there was any need for the sales tax originally.” Yarborough had previous commitments, but sent a telegram to Bureau president J. R. West expressing concern for “a new birth of economic freedom and prosperity for our farmers,” pledging continued growth to the state’s agricultural-industrial economy, underlining the low per capita ining to fight to preserve rural electrical co-operative; and to work for an expanded state water program. It was Republican Jack. Cox, however, who made perhaps the best impression on the conservative audience. Commented Bo Byers of the Houston Chronicle: “Cox apparently came off the winner.” V Connally in recent speeches has been attacking Daniel’s announcement that he would work to help elect legislators who favor his programs. The former Navy secretary is having a huge out door rally in hometown Flores ville Saturday, to be televised statewide. He also has a troop of uniformed young ladies to work in his campaign . . Daniel, in a visit to Washington to make reli gious speeches, one on the same platform with Billy Graham, talked with congressional leaders, said he wanted to talk with Presi dent Kennedy, and, when asked if he might see Atty. Gen. Bobby Kennedy, said: “I may give him a good book of Texas history while I am here.” Marshall Formby, whose hard-hitting conservatism indicates his campaign is picking up, continues to place the LBJ influence on both Daniel and Connally . . . Austin politicos have had their curiosity stirred over the enigmatic LBJ-Daniel conversation two weeks ago . . . The Observer learned that “some big Houston money” has deserted Connally for Daniel . . . Yarborough demanded “a wholly new approach in order for the state to take full advantage of the leadership abilities of women.” goOr Stuart Long, in his Austin Report, dryly observed that General Walker said his platform is the Texas constitution. “He did not indicate whether he fully favors the right to revolution ,guaranteed by Art. 1, Sect. 2 of his platform.” . . . Walker had a press conference at Austin Airport that almost ended in a fight and broke up after only a few minutes when the General refused to allow UPI photographer Bill Thompson, assigned by the Austin American, to take any more shots. Walker did say, when asked what part J. Evetts Haley is playing in his campaign, that “he’s second corporal of the third platoon.” When Walker protested the photographer, one of the General’s associates warned “if you want a face full of fist just take another picture.” Walker had mentioned the constitution in an earlier question, and Sam Wood of the Austin American asked: “Speaking of the constitution, do you think it is a right of a free press for a newspaper to come here and take pictures?” Walker replied: “I have rights too.” V Some 600 persons turned out for a $5-a-plate banquet in Hillsboro honoring Sen. Crawford Martin . . . The Greater Houston Latin-American Assni. endorsed Jarrard Secrest for lieutenant governor. President J. Alfred Hernandez promised to deliver 175,000 votes from the coastal area. . . . The two Republican candidates for lieutenant governor, Kellis Dibrell and Bill Hayes, caused some grim looks and red facesmonf_r , the three Democratic her efulsMe rtin, Bob raker, and Preston Smithat the Farm Buyea u meeting in Dallas. Espousing a philosophy of conservatism at all levels, they needled the Democrats and assailed the national Democratic Party and the New Frontier. Said Hayes: “We Republicans have got our Rockefelles and our Javits, but the Democrats have got their