And Then They Were ...

Like a political map of their mother party, the Young Democrats rejuvenative meeting was divided into four blocs. Surveying the Lamont Forum Room from the platform, one could recognize the executive board of the HLU on the left, the president of the Southerners Club and friends to the right and farther back, and the leftovers from the old club, the strict partyliners, in the front. Outside the pale, lurking against the far wall; were fifteen Young Republican spies, who were at the moment vigorously applauding.

The chairman cleared his throat loudly. "I'm gonna read the new constitution, so we can pass it. Its practically the same as the old constitution, except for three changes. One, we'll only need fifth instead of a fourth of the membership for a quorum and two, we'll only have five instead of eleven executives. That way, it'll be easier to transact business. The third change is a provision for impeaching an officer who commits an act detrimental to the club."

The chairman waved his document through the air. Do I hear a motion to pass the constitution?" It was passed. "Now we'll have nominations." continued the chairman. "I want to make it clear that I'll accept no office."

There were a few guffaws. "He's on probation," whispered an HLU'er. "That's why he can't run."

A partyliner jumped up. "I nominate Stan Tobin, the vice-president of the old club.' A Southerner nominated George Baum. The chairman raised his arm. "Let's have a motion to close nominations." It was moved and passed.

Tobin stepped up to the platform. In a business like tone, he listed the work he had done for the old club and for the state machine. Suddenly, Tobin thrust has head toward the audience. "I can state in all modesty," he declared, "that anything constructive that was done in the old club was my doing." The partyliners nodded. "I arranged to have Eleanor Roosevelt and Dever come here; the president vetoed it. I arranged for the Club to have a five-room office in the state department; the president vetoed it. Finally, I just stopped trying."

Tobin stepped down, and Baum came forward. A freshman, from Texas, Baum had little to offer but enthusiasm. Since there were four more partyliners and HLU'ers than there were Southerners and Republicans, Tobin won by four votes.

The vice-presidential race brought a nominee from each bloc. The partyliners put up Ted Kesselman; the Southerners renominated Baum; the HLU'ers countered with Frank Rhuland; and the Republicans entered the fight with Thayer Tugworth.

The HLU'ers immediately went into a miniature caucus. Their spokesman got up. "I think we should ask each nominee whether or not he's a Democrat."

There were hisses from the back of the room, but Tobin complied. When he got to Tugworth's name there was no answer. Tugworth's name was struck from the list.

"Listen," said Tobin, addressing the back of the room, "how about you Republicans cutting it out, and leaving? If you're not going to join the club, we don't want you to vote."

The Republicans stopped voting, leaving only three active blocs in the room. Still, some of the partyliners, unimpressed with Kesselman's qualifications, jumped the line and voted for Baum; he won, evening the slate at one partyliner and one Southerner.

The HLU'ers near me began whispering violently. "We've got to get a man in now." One of them stood up and made a small speech.

"It's very important," he said, "that the HLU and the Democrats have a close tie, and help each other out."

"That's what killed the old club," shouted a Southerner.

"It was the Southerners that rvined the old club," retorted the HLU'er.

The last three elections brought another partyliner in as secretary, the president of the Southerners Club as treasurer, and a dark horse without visible affiliations as member-at-large.

"They'll be sorry," said the HLU'ers stomping to the door and leaving the remaining two blocs to fight it out.