POLITICAL NOTES: The Pot Boils, Nov. 1, 1948

Before it was too late, a varied group of papers and personages took their stand:

¶ Three Southern papers—the Charlotte (N.C.) News, the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, and the St. Petersburg (Fla.) Independent —endorsed a Republican candidate for the first time in their history. The independent Milwaukee Journal, which supported Willkie in 1940 and no one in 1944, came out for Dewey.

¶ Thirty-seven ex-New Dealers, denouncing Wallace’s Progressive Party as “a corruption of American liberalism,” announced their support of Truman. In print, their names had an odd, ghostly air, as if they were historical characters stepping out of a book of Roosevelt memoirs. Among them: Francis Biddle, Frank C. Walker, Dean Acheson, Thurman Arnold, Adolf Berle, Tommy (“the Cork”) Corcoran, Wayne Coy, Elmer Davis, Leon Henderson, Archibald MacLeish, Paul A. Porter, Judge Samuel I. Rosenman, Robert E. Sherwood, Aubrey Williams. A fortnight ago in Paris, U.N. Delegate Eleanor Roosevelt, who had been noticeably silent on presidential politics, took pen in hand and sent a letter to President Truman (published last week by the White House): “I am unqualifiedly for you as the Democratic candidate.”

¶ Heavyweight Champ Joe Louis, who early in the campaign had contributed money to Henry Wallace’s Progressives, hustled over to G.O.P. Manhattan headquarters to offer his support to Dewey in person, missed him, then caught up with the candidate in Grand Central Station. “Hello, stranger,” cried Dewey, thrusting out his hand. “I wish you luck,” said Joe, with careful regard for the candidate’s bursitis.