The Pittsburgh Press (July 23, 1944)
Defiant Texas group still a headache
DNC has problem to solve
By Gordon K. Shearer, United Press staff writer
Chicago, Illinois – (July 22)
One angle of the situation created by rival Texas delegations to the Democratic National Convention remained to be straightened out here today by the Democratic National Committee.
Both Texas state conventions nominated Myron Blalock of Marshall, Texas, to continue as committeeman from Texas. The state convention which claimed to be “Regular” proposed Mrs. H. H. Weinert of Seguin for National Committeewoman. The other chose Mrs. Clara Driscoll of Corpus Christi, who had resigned as committeewoman.
Some stay behind
Mrs. Weinert remained in the convention with former Governor Dan Moody, chairman of the delegation, and some others of the “Regular” group when others walked out in protest over having the vote divided. She remained in Chicago when most of the delegation left for Texas this morning, to be present for a possible contest of her designation as National Committeewoman.
Honors were about even between the rival factions when the final convention score was added. The “rump” delegation won recognition and half of the Texas vote in the convention. The other delegation wad first to get on the Truman bandwagon and voted 21 of its 24 votes for the winning vide-presidential candidate while the rival delegation cast its entire 24 votes for Mr. Wallace. Later, the state’s entire 48 votes were given to Mr. Truman.
Sat at opposite ends
The rival delegations sat at opposite ends of the Texas section during the balloting.
The faction headed by Herman Jones of Austin passed on the first vice-presidential ballot. Its caucus, before the convention opened, had voted for Speaker Sam Rayburn and when Mr. Rayburn did not want his name presented the group “sat out” the first round.
The Moody group gave 21 of its 24 votes to Senator John H. Bankhead (D-AL) on the first ballot, one to Senator Truman, one to Senator Alben W. Barkley (D-KY) and one to Bascom Timmons (a former Texan and now a well-known Washington correspondent). Three of that faction voted for Mr. Wallace on the second ballot.