ustxtxb_obs_1968_08_23_50_00011-00000_000.pdf

Pre-Convention Mutterings fro Speculation that a movement to draft President Johnson for the Democratic nomination abounded during the last week before the convention. Mayor Richard Daley of Chicago called Johnson a -“great president,” leading some to believe that Daley was implying that the president should be returned to office. Miami Beach Mayor Elliott Roosevelt commented that he expects the president to accept renomination after a “spontaneous draft” arises from the floor. Philip A. Kazen, a member of the Texas Democratic delegation, said recently, “Personally, I would like to see President Johnson drafted and have him accept the draft.” And Rep. Olin Teague of College Station warned Democrats to “look for a bombshell” if Vice President Humphrey is not nominated on the first ballot. “Unless Humphrey makes it on the first ballot,” Teague said, “I’m confident Johnson will get it. I have no basis for this prediction except my own opinion. I’ve believed it all along, and I still believe it.” i As the Observer went to press, the White House had not issued any statement to quell the rumors that Johnson might be drafted. 1, Frank Erwin, Jr., outgoing Demo cratic national committeeman, and some other members of the Texas delegation are threatening to walk out of the national convention if the credentials committee agrees to seat any members of the TDOC challenge delegation. “If they challenge that delegation in any particular, I, for one, think we should refuse to participate in the convention,” Erwin told Jon Ford of the San Antonio Express-News. “I have conducted no poll, but I believe a large number of delegates feel the same way. This delegation is legal, and there is no sense in changing it,” he said. Wr Observer observers traveling recently in east and west Texas say George Wallace leads presidential candidates in the bumper sticker campaign. The Wallace brand is sighted on everything from pick-up trucks to Lincoln Continentals. Wallace made an appearance on a $25-a-plate dinner in Houston Aug. 6, after this issue went to press. The former Alabama governor has an energetic contingent of supporters in Houston. One of them, Max Sanford, recently named a giant hybrid melon in Wallace’s honor; the George Wallace cantaloupe. V An intraparty controversy over the John Birch Society is causing division among the ranks of George Wallace sup porters, the Waco Tribune-Herald reveal ed recently. The newspaper said Wallace campaign headquarters in Temple, Fort Worth and Corpus Christi have been divorced completely from the American party. An advertisement in Temple and Waco newspapers concerning the opening of a Central Texas Wallace headquarters said, “the campaign is not controlled, promoted or financed by the John Birch Society or any other group or organization.’,’ Several state party officials opposing the Birch Society reportedly have been removed from office. A Neo-Nazi group has set up resi dence in Harlingen, Police Chief Marshal Rousseau said recently. The chief said the group, which is under surveillance, has done little more than paste small anti-Jewish stickers on parking meters in the Rio Grande Valley city. A group called the El PasoFlood Victims is attempting to recall May or Judson Williams. Jost Duran, Jr., a printer who leads the group, started cir culating the recall petition after heavy rains soaked El Paso in July. The peti tion charges that Williams has been habit ually absent from the city and that he failed to provide sufficient precautions for the flood, which petitioners think was predictable. The rains claimed five lives in El Paso. Williams is one of the men being considered to replace Dr. Jo seph M. Ray as president of the Univer sity of Texas, El Paso. Some UT profes sors are involved in the recall effort, but they say they are not leading the move ment. Williams says it is “politically mo tivated” and designed to embarrass him. 100 Associated Press reporter Lee Jones says the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department doesn’t know what to do with the $500,000 the legislature appropri ated for the Lyndon B. Johnson State Park. The park may be burdened with an additional half million in matching funds from the federal government. Iron ically, the LBJ Park received the wind fall without asking while the Commis sion on Indian Affairs, which requested a sizable appropriation to complete half finished park facilities at the Alabama Coushatta Indian reservation, didn’t re ceive a cent \(Obs., MARTIN ELFANT Sun Life of Canada 1001 Century Building Houston, Texas CA 4-0686 /#~#~04*~* dian commissioners should rename the reservation after the president. International Minerals and Chemical Co. of Houston holds the national record in p011ution fines. The Texas Air Control Board recently agreed to settle a suit against the chemical firm for $17,500. The board reported that IMC has released as much as 56,325 micrograms of gradoo per cubic meter during a 24-hour period. State regulations on dust emission allow only 100 micrograms a day. g/ The number of conscientious objec tors listed on Corpus Christi’s selective service rolls has risen sharply in the last three years, according to the Corpus Christi Caller. This year the Corpus board has 36 men listed as I-0, the classification given to men asking for exemption from military duty because of religious training or belief. Two years ago, the selective service board had eight CO’s. g/ San Antonio is the second city in Texas to adopt an open housing ordinance. The law, which went into effect August 3, makes it illegal for anyone “to make, print or publish [anything] . . . with respect to sale or rental of any dwelling that indicates any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color or national origin.” San Antonio’s measure is stronger than Austin’s ordinance, which is in governmental limbo. Sufficient Austin residents signed a petition to require a referendum on the housing laws, but the city council has yet to do so. The council must either rescind the law or call a referendum. Some councilmen favor passing a redrafted ordinance, since recent hearings pointed out deficiencies in the ordinance as passed by the council. Others feel that to pass a new law would be to ignore a mandate from city residents. The Corpus Christi city council scheduled a second hearing on its proposed housing law in mid-August. 0 August 23, 1968 11 z * Since 18M The Place in Austin GOOD FOOD GOOD BEER 1607 San Jacinto GR 7-4171