ustxtxb_obs_1967_10_27_50_00008-00000_000.pdf

people look at the Congressman and HUAC. Some of Pool’s people seem to believe that the peace people would actually “levitate” and “exorcise” the Pentagon, as a small group of hippies from New York claim they will do. The New Left in Dallas seem incredulous that a Congressman could get so upset over the activities of ten or twenty people. “We don’t even believe we can do all the things we say we can,” as one peace person put it. Many of the local New Left seem actually to be looking forward to a visit from HUAC. “Man, we could tear those guys up. We could turn them every way but loose,” one enthusiast visualized. They probably won’t get the chance, but it’s interesting to consider the possibility of that happening in Dallas. 0 Some Key Decisions Still Pending V There can be little doubt that Gov. John Connally truly does not want to seek reelection. But the pressure on him from some persuasive supporters will almost certainly mean that the governor will seek a fourth term. V Lt. Gov. Preston Smith, the only an nounced candidate for governor so far, is going around the state predicting that Connally won’t run. If the governor does run, Smith says, with a poker face, he would “violate his expressed promises to the people of Texas.” But Smith probably knows that Connally has in effect repudiated his 1962 campaign oratory against the fourth term, an issue that was effective in putting Connally into office over Price Daniel. Connally has said he made a mistake in raising the fourth term issue. Smith says he can beat the governor, should Connally run. V There are reports out of Dallas of squabbling between factions aligned with Connally and Smith. V Among those seeking to persuade Con nally to go for a fourth term are former State Atty. Gen. Waggoner Carr, who very possibly would head the Establishment’s slate in 1968 should Connally not run. Also urging Connally to run are virtually all of the state’s big dailies and the big money interests that have formed the heart of Connally’s and the Establishment’s support for years. A group of backers identified at first as a delegation of Houstonians conferred for three hours with the governor here earlier this month; most of the 32 men in the group, it developed, were lobbyists, including some who represent the most powerful of special interest groups. V Connally had said he would announce his decision before the National Governor’s Conference. He now says the announcement will occur after the conference, which concluded this week. V Connally is reported to have drafted a resolution of support for US policy in Vietnam, for the consideration of the governors. He said beforehand he would present the resolution and ” I don’t care how many votes we get.” Republican governors headed off passage of the measure of support. 8 The Texas Observer V Twenty-six of 27 Capitol reporters believe Connally will run again. V Connally is reported to have earnest ly hoped that his advisors would feel that House Speaker Ben Barnes was ready to step into a race for the top job. But some preliminary soundings around the state indicated that Barnes is too young, at 29, and lacks statewide exposure. At that point Barnes announced for the lieutenant governor’s race. V Connally is unenthusiastic about the prospects of either Smith or Carr replacing him. The only option, then, is to make the race himself, holding Texas for the powers that have ruled the state since the late 1930s, and also making it more likely that President Johnson will get Texas’ 25 electoral votes next year. V Sen. Ralph Yarborough is described as “somewhat amused” at Connally’s apparent hesitancy to make the race. The Senator believes the Governor will run again but is largely marking time to stir up the campaign contributors and other supporters. V Connally’s top aide, Larry Temple, has resigned to become a special counsel to President Johnson. This, of course, added to the speculation that Connally will not run, as Temple has been a highly trusted aide of the governor. V Don Yarborough has returned to Houston after ten months in Europe. In Washington he said he has no plans to run for governor. But a source who can be described as knowledgeable, has advised the Observer that Don definitely will make the race, announcing himself later on, perhaps in January. V The Houston Post asked Yarborough about reports that he’s in difficulty with Internal Revenue for allegedly spending campaign contributions for his European trip. Don denied any knowledge of such reports, which the Post said are current in Austin. He said he is still about $60,000 to $70,000 in debt from the ’64 campaign and paid for the trip to Europe himself. Yarborough said that a gubernatorial race next year would be run “at considerable personal financial sacrifice to myself.” He expressed interest in the voter registration drive that liberals and labor people are mounting, coordinated at an Austin office directed by Latane Lambert, Dallas, the secretary of Texas Lib eral Democrats, and Betsey Wright, the state president of the Young Democrats. V Seventy-three candidates are in seven legislative special elections Nov. 11. Successors will be chosen for the late State Sen. George Parkhouse, Dallas; State Reps. Maurice Pipkin, Brownsville; Otha Birkner, Bay City; Pat Cain, Austin; the late Ira Kohler, Houston; Lee Duggan, Houston and Jesse George, Levelland. V Rep. Gene Hendryx, an important member of the Barnes team that ran the House, announced his retirement from politics in a surprise that occurred at a luncheon in Monahans. “I’ve been in politics for several years now,”. he said, “and my business and family have suf fered because of it . . . I’m tired of beat ing my head against the wall in the legis lature. I’ve been called the most con trary, conservative so-and-so in the leg islature, and I’m proud of it, but you get tired after a while of fighting every day, day in and day out, so I’m giving it up.” A draft campaign has been mounted to get Hendryx to reconsider. The drive is led by business and civic leaders, and Farm Bureau members. V Rep. Gus Mutscher, Brenham, is cer tain to be the next House Speaker. In a letter to fellow Representatives Mutscher advised that he would hold a press conference in Austin last week “to publicly and officially announce my intention to become the Speaker of the House of Representatives for the 61st legislature.” Mutscher says he has the pledges of support of “more than 135” present House members. V The Texas Republican Party is drift ing sharply rightward. It looks like a return to the Goldwater movement of 1964. Informed moderate Republican leaders say that only hotly contested competions for nomination in the Republican primary next year and a large turnout therein can prevent this. One of the highest-up moderates in the official Texas party says that the state chairman, Peter O’Donnell of Dallas, and Sen. John Tower have no intention at all of permitting a presidential preferential primary “straw vote” in the Texas GOP primary. Tower will be the favorite son and the delegation will be bound to him hand and foot without their knowing what he intends to do with them at the