Schlesinger, Clifton Review ADA Parley, Political Action

"It was like an alumni weekend," said Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. '38, associate professor of History, describing the abundance of ex-leaders of the New Deal regime at the Americans for Democratic Action convention under the auspices of the Liberal Union in the Winthrop House Junior Common Room last night.

Albert Clifton, legislative representative for the Massachusetts CIO and co-speaker of the HLU-sponsored meeting, surveyed Labor's chances in the 1948 elections and gave the 50-odd members of his audience a few tips on the latest bell-pushing techniques to motivate pollshy voters.

"Of course we don't want to register people who are going to vote against some of our policies," said Clifton, "but you've just got to take and think the thing out. And I hope I'm not giving you the impression that laborers are easy to convince on political views."

Pertinent Trend

Last weekend's ADA convention high-lighted one pertinent trend within labor and liberal forces, Schlesinger stated. Starting with Walter Reuther of UAW and William Green of CIO appearing on the same speakers' restrum and manifesting complete unanimity of opinion, the conclave represented the beginning of a closer cooperation between the two previously-hostile factions, especially with regard to the coming elections.

Schlesinger pointed out that, of 600 delegates representing 40 states, not one dissenter showed himself as the convention condemned the results of a third party and minimized the possibility of Republicans as ADA supporters.

President Truman fared neither poorly nor well under the critical gaze of the anti-Communist "liberals," who largely agreed with his doctrines but wondered just how Truman himself was behind them.