'he one great rule We will serve AO )f composition is to group or party but will hew hard to -Teak the truth. the truth as we find it and the right as —Thoreau &xan Obrrurr we see it. An Independent Liberal Weekly Newspaper VOL. 47 JUNE 20, 1955, AUSTIN,'TEXAS 10c per Copy NO. 10 Butler Assured of Victory in Texas No Loyalty Oath Just Trying To Help State, But Convention Treasurer James Explains May Challenge By RONNIE DUGGER By BILL BRA.MMER In 1941, State Treasurer Charley arisen. No law forbids such trans- Editor, The Texas Observer Associate Editor Lockhart resigned. Governor Coke actions in this particular case. HOUSTON The Texas Observer Stevenson appointed James to fill James, whose Chris Craft agency AUSTIN the unexpired term. In 1942, in his is now owned by his daughter, said Democratic National Chair- In 29 years as a public official, quest for a full elective term, he of the 22 boats sold to the State in man Paul Butler left Texas State Treasurer Jesse James ap- drew five opponents and was the past five years for a total of this week, convinced that his pears to have been guided by two forced into a runoff with G; W. $34,000: Hatcher when he failed to win a six-day visit helped lay the rules of conduct: avoid personal "I got those boat contracts be- groundwork for a 1956 vie- publicity; shun controversy in any majority by 2,500 votes. He won the runoff easily. cause I was low bidder on them. tory in Texas "for the nomi- form. The only reason we bid on them Since then, James has been op- nees of the 1956 national con "I like to go straight down the posed only one other time. He has was to help the State. We bid right vention." middle road," says James. fashioned for himself a safe, secure at cost; we didn't make much money—maybe three,four, or five As a "public necessity," he says niche in State Government. The Suave and relaxed at th he has never indulged his depart- pay, up until this year, had not (Continued on Page 8) PAUL BUTLER end of his tour, Butler at ment in factional politics. He is a been particularly generous, how- ,swered reporters' question life-long Democrat; he has always ever, and this led James to other in his Shamrock Hotel suite. voted the Democratic ticket. pursuits. "I didn't ask to be crossfiled in He said that while future Right at Cost White Rips `Semicrats,' oriented loyalty oaths will not 1952," says James. "The Republicans "I had to have a sideline or two put me on their ballot, and I didn't to make a living," he explains. He apply at next year's national argue with them about it. If they establiShed a boat agency in Aus- Asks Price of Harmony convention, this will not want to vote for me, it's okay. But tin. He opened a fishing lodge on change the right of the con- I'm a Democrat." Lake Travis. HOUSTON "Statesmanship was sadly lack- vention to challenge any dele- The State Treasurer rarely gets Attention was focused last week John Sparkman, John White, ing in high positions of trust in gate on the ground that he any attention — even at election on the facts that James has been Ralph Yarborough and Paul But- Texas in 1952," he said. "They ig- time. He has been unopposed for nored integrity for the sake of po- has not in the past supported selling boats to the State; that au- ler sparked the state convention of the party's nominees. office in all but two of his races. dit reports of his department indi- the Young Democrat Clubs of litical skullduggery. Under such When any publication takes note cate mild displeasure with his han- Texas in Houston last weekend. circumstances, men such as these Butler also spoke at the conven- of James, it's usually the result of tion of the Young Democratic Clubs dling of $200 million of "surplus" Butler was winding up his tour no longer deserve the privilege of interest in his rather unusual name. public office under the Democratic of Texas Saturday night. state funds; and that although a of Texas and addressed the con- Robert Ripley's "Believe It or The Young Democrats reelects. member of the State Depository and vention Saturday night. White, banner," he said. Not" has spotlighted him several Dean Johnston of Houston as presi. State Banking Boards, he is also Texas commissioner of agriculture White called these leaders "Semi- times, the oddity being that "Texas dent. Bill Kugle of Galveston lose connected with the Texas State who was the lone state official who crats" with , "no allegiance to any has a State Treasurer named Jesse out by a vote of 129 to 79. Othe. Bank of Austin. campaigned for the Democratic party." James." It's his real name, and he officers elected were Bernard Li nominees in 1952, gave the keynote Deploring "alarming examples of is happy with it. "People remember . The State Auditor's office has in- shutz, San Antonio, vice-presiden address in the opening session. a name like that," he says. dicated in audit reports of the moral disintegration" in Austin, he Helen Riley, C r a n e, treasurt James launched his career in Treasury Department in the past White made the keynote address said corruption is unequaled since Clyde Johnson, Corsicana, seer public officialdom in 1933 when he five years\ that Texas should re- Saturday morning, asking "What the days of the carpetbaggers. tary, and Mimi Steinert, San A was elected to the Texas Legisla- ceive more interest from its large price harmony?" "That old red granite Capitol build- tonio, national committeewoman. ing in Austin stands as a symbol ture representing Milam County. sums of money deposited in various . He said he saw no reason to seek The group resolved to work har of all that is mighty, but how much He was 29 years old at the time. banks over the state. harmony with those who bolted the for Democratic Party victory next rot does it conceal?" he asked. Milam County returned him to the The question of whether it is party in 1952, when "the principle year. About 230 delegates attended. Capitol twice more before he was proper for a state official to trans- of political integrity was murdered The Legislature did not meet the The convention was unsegregated appointed assistant state treasurer. act business with the state has in Texas." (Continued on Page 8) (Continued on Page 5) LABOR BOSS LABEL DOESN,T FIT A.F.LS HOLLEMAN AUSTIN "Our primary problem in public cers and leaders," he says, "but we certify union majority el€ Jerry Holleman, the executive secretary of the Texas relations is within our own mem- want to get deep down into the and to mediate and arbitrE State Federation of Labor, not only fails to fit into the polit- bership," he said. "If we could get membership." labor-management disputes every union member to think of Seminars were held for AFL such an adaptation. ical stereotype of a "labor boss," he seems much more like the union as himself, figuratively members every other weekend last "We feel that the State, if it the quiet, serious-minded manager who has become the key to wear around his neck a sign, "I winter—at Mineral Wells, Tyler, enter union-management rela. man in American corporations. am the union," so that his neigh- Houston, El Paso, Harlingen, San should at least be construct As spokesman for Texas AFL at four sessions of the bors and friends, when they think Antonio, Austin, D a 11 a s, Fort Holleman says. "It should rek. Legislature, he has been an effective symbol of the inter- of the union, think of him, then Worth, Beaumont, a n d Corpus nize that unions are here to stay we'd be on the way." Christi. Subjects for study at these an essential part of the econom ests of the union members who, perhaps because of their Since Holleman took over, the labor schools were Texas labor law, and give them their rightful place. traditional craft rather than industrial organization, are main emphasis of the federation workmen's compensation, unem- Since World War II, Texas labo considered more conservative than members of the CIO. has been education of working peo- ployment compensation, collective law has taken many a turn whi "In spite of what a lot of people ple in what Holleman calls their bargaining, public relations, and union people regard as anti-work have tried to convince the United problem of labor in Texas is ex- three fundamental responsibilities political education. Holleman cites these grievan States," he says, "there really is plaining its programs and values to —to their union and fellow mem- This summer in Austin, the fed- against the present helter-ske] no difference in the economic phi- "suburban Texas," the white-collar bers, to their employers, and to eration will sponsor the "First An- labor laws of the state: losophy of labor and the economic and professional people. But Holle- their communities in the broad nual Institute for Workers' Educa- 0 Although the right of an ( philosophy of business. There is a man's approach is different at this sense of the word. "So far we have tion," a week-long program July ployer to bargain with work( difference of emphasis. The busi- point. had a lot of success with our offi- 31-August 5.