Word: planking
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Several threw their luck in with the Harriman forces. William E. Leuchtonberg, formerly an assistant professor of History, served as a delegate analysist for Harriman, while Arthur A. Maass, assistant professor of Government, did sundry chores, and helped with the conservation plank in the Democratic platform...
Although the national-defense plank was not in his realm, Dulles had a hand in it, too. When he learned that the original draft leaned toward air-power-only policy, which Ike opposed, he suggested that it be rewritten. Result: a plank which called for "the quickest possible development of . . . completely adequate air power and the simultaneous readiness of coordinated air, land and sea forces...
...divided. Mrs. Younger and two other members wanted to call for a federal agency (she avoided the explosive initials FEPC) to push civil rights. The two other members were violently opposed. As a result, Millikin's full committee got majority and minority reports, and came out with a plank that each side could construe as it wished: '"We believe that it is the primary responsibility of each state to order and control its own domestic institutions . . . However, we believe that the Federal Government should take supplemental action within its constitutional jurisdiction to oppose discrimination against race, religion...
When Senator Millikin had finished reading the 6,000-word platform, the convention adopted it by voice vote, without a murmur of dissent. It was a workmanlike piece of fast political carpentry-and, except for the foreign-policy plank, about as inspiring as an orange crate. Only in one field had the framers of the document agreed to a simple proposition, stated clearly, without fear or favor. "We pledge," said the plank, "a more efficient and frequent mail-delivery service...
Georgia's Richard Russell, claiming 200-300 delegates, thinks that Ike's nomination has strengthened his hand. Russell backers warn that the Democrats had better pay attention to Russell and be careful of the civil-rights plank lest they lose the South to Ike. With Russell, the Democrats can hold the South, though they might lose almost everything else...