Nat Hentoff: Dems Rebelling Over Likely Humphrey Nod

Where the lines really are
by Nat Hentoff

Since the Times is indeed a national newspaper, I hope that before the Democratic Convention there'll be a national story on the extent to which local organization of McCarthy partisans are pledging not to vote for Democrats on any level who support Humphrey if the latter is nominated. For example, in addition to the Queens movement reported here last week, there's similar activity in the fourth C.D. in Oregon. Voters in that district are being asked to sign the following pledge: "In our opinion, the nomination of Hubert Humphrey would be a short circuit of the democratic process. Therefore, in the event of a Humphrey nomination, we pledge that in November we will vote against any Democratic candidate for Senator, Congressman, or Governor who has not come out against Humphrey's manipulation of the democratic process."

I'm told by Richard Feinman, Department of Chemistry, University of Oregon, that this strategy has had at least one successful result so far: "The congressional candidate in the 4th C.D. became a McCarthy supporter four days after the idea for this campaign was read on the same program at the university in which he said that Humphrey might not be so bad."

This Oregon cadre suggests, as I have in this column previously, that the strategy be followed throughout the country. I would emphasize, however, that it's a mistake to limit the pledge of non-support only to candidates for the Senate, the House, and the various gubernatorial places. EVERY candidate for ANY office who supports Humphrey should be informed that the will not be supported...

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