Tearful Epilogue

As the Democratic National Committee gathered in the grand ballroom of Chicago's Sheraton-Blackstone Hotel at week's end for the usual convention epilogue, Utah Committeeman Calvin Rawlings dutifully offered a resolution praising National Committee Chairman Paul M. Butler for the 1956 convention arrangements. Other committee members rose to add their praise. Suddenly, slender, intense Paul Butler was sobbing. When the white-haired Indianan had regained control of himself, he faced the committee. "I'm sure you do not realize," he said as his voice caught in his throat, "are writing my political epitaph. In a moment, I shall submit my resignation, and I urge you to accept it."

After 19 months as their chairman, Butler knew his Democrats well: at that moment, on Adlai Stevenson's decision, he was indeed on his way out. He had dismayed party professionals with his overeager, often ill-judged partisanship, e.g., his television attack on the Columbia Broadcasting System for failing to carry the Democratic campaign movie, The Pursuit of Happiness, from the convention hall (see PRESS). Among his associates, his temper and taut nerves had earned him the nickname of "Mr. Bang." And worst of all. during the convention he had fallen out with such Stevenson advisers as Jim Finnegan and Dave Lawrence over the timing of Stevenson's acceptance speech.

But soon after Butler had dried his eyes, Stevenson relented, reversed his decision, and passed the word that the committeemen could go ahead and elect Butler their chairman again. It was a hollow victory. In a private conference with Butler, Stevenson made it clear that Finnegan, not Butler, would be the "architect" of the campaign. Finnegan will set up headquarters in Washington, near those of the national committee, so that there will be no "two-headed monster" like that of 1952, when Stevenson campaign offices in Springfield frequently worked at cross purposes with capital leaders. Butler's only 1956 duties: those of an "administrator." Exactly what he will administer was never made clear.

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