War Issue Divides Democrats

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31761, 19 August 1968, Page 17

War Issue Divides Democrats

(N.Z.P A.-Reuter—Copyright)

WASHINGTON, Aug. 18.

Moves to restore unity among the badly-divided Democratic Presidential “hopefuls” appear to have foundered on the explosive Vietnam issue, says Ralph Harris.

The crisis among the Democrats, says Harris, will move towards a climax when the Democratic platform committee meets in Washington on Monday for three days of hearings on the party’s manifesto for the Presidential election.

Unyielding opposition by Vietnam critics, Senator Eugene McCarthy (Minnesota) and Senator George McGovern (South Dakota) to President Johnson’s policy threatens the unity considered essential if the Democrats are to beat the Republican Presidential candidate, Richard Nixon in November.

The situation is deemed so serious that suggestions have been heard that Senator Edward Kennedy (Massachusetts) should end his mourning for his brother, Robert Kennedy, and try to exercise a healing influence.

Georgia’s fiery segregationist Governor, Lester Maddox, in an impassioned plea for military victory in Vietnam and restoration of law and order at home, today declared himself an active candidate for the Democratic Party Presidential nomination.

The bald, bespectacled 52-year-old Governor said he had waited for “a Democrat to step forward and fill the void in the Democratic Party . . . a representative of the conservative element in Democratic society. That void has not been filled.” Vietnam remains the bitter, divisive issue for Democrats as Mr Humphrey maintains his lead over Senators McCarthy and McGovern for the Presidential nomination.

But Senator Kennedy, it is I said, using the magic of his name, could point the way to a compromise, possibly leading to unity behind Mr Humphrey. who recently has taken a slightly "dovish” position on Vietnam, without disowning the basic elements of President Johnson’s stand. There have even been suggestions that the Democratic Party can save itself, and beat

Mr Nixon, only if Senator Kennedy makes himself available as a Presidential candidate.

Senator Kennedy, who has already rejected the VicePresidential nomination, has a major speech scheduled on Wednesday on Vietnam—but observers would be surprised if he injected himself into the Presidential race. President Johnson remains

strictly bipartisan as he watches the preconvention manoeuvring in his own party—and waits for Mr Nixon to launch the Republican campaign. His political impartiality—such as giving Mr Nixon fullscale briefings on the Vietnam war—has led to speculation that he might even feel obliged to step into the Democratic struggle, and reverse his decision not to seek election again. Seasoned political experts do not believe he would, but the speculation is given some credence by observers who believe nothing can be ruled out in a bizarre election year in which the impossible is always happening. Mr Nixon appears confident that his middle-of-the-road position on Vietnam will free him to concentrate his attack on the administration for its handling of the racial issue, and the riots, arson, and looting which have swept the country in recent years. Mr Nixon seems to have written off the Negro and “liberal,” vote and to be aiming his appeal instead at bluecollar and white, middle-class suburban groups. These are voters who feel threatened not only by racial troubles but also by some of the economic and fair-housing claims which Negroes are making. Mr Nixon has his own problems with warring Republican factions —and next week plans “unity” visits to Governor Nelson Rockefeller (New York) and other members of the liberal wing who became enraged when he chose the conservative Maryland Governor Spiro Agnew, as his running mate. Mr Agnew has come under attack in the last few months after a well-publicised incident in which he called Negro leaders to his Governor’s mansion and sternly rebuked them for not doing enough to combat extremism.