Indigestion Before Dinner

As Democratic leaders bustled about last week planning a big dinner, acute indigestion set in.

National Chairman Stephen Mitchell had wanted a banker to be general chairman of the Sept. 14 $100-a-plate feast in Chicago, because the chairmanship was essentially a money-raising job. But the banker he asked suggested that he appoint a lawyer, one John James Kelly. Mitchell checked with Chicago's Mayor Martin H. Kennelly, who said that was just fine. Kelly and the mayor are old friends, live in the same apartment building. But after Mitchell appointed Kelly, he learned that his chairman was not an old friend of very many Cook County Democratic organization men. The reaction in the wards: "Let Kelly sell the tickets."

Then Mitchell selected his toastmaster: Iowa's Senator Guy M. Gillette, whose campaign for re-election next year would be helped by all the publicity. This was most displeasing to General Chairman Kelly, who wanted to be his own toastmaster and introduce the guest of honor, Adlai Stevenson. Kelly resigned in a huff. That was a good opening for Iowa's State Chairman Jake More. Knowing exactly who the good guys and the bad guys are in the minds of many Iowa voters, More roared that "city slickers" had tried to keep lowan Gillette off the program.

While all this was going on, Southern Democrats began throwing you alls into Mr. Mitchell's chowder. Florida's Senator Spessard Holland said he had declined an invitation to attend the dinner because he thinks the South will gain nothing there. Virginia's Senator Harry Byrd said he had not been invited. South Carolina's Governor James F. Byrnes said he would not go if he were invited.

All of this internal rumbling before dinner caused some pundits to diagnose a new case of discord in the Democratic Party. But observers with good memories settled back to watch the Democrats being just Democrats in a normal, non-election-year performance.

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