The California Trail

POLITICS The California Trail

As it must to all Democratic presidential prospectors, the time had come for Missouri's Senator Stuart Symington to head west in quest of the golden nuggets--California's 76 delegate votes at the 1960 national convention. Winding up a six-day California trip last week, Symington was following the trail already blazed this year by Massachusetts' Senator John Kennedy and Minnesota's Senator Hubert Humphrey. Indeed, so worn has the trail become that Symington stopped at most of the same political watering holes and camp sites.

One reason for the pattern into which California presidential campaigning has fallen is the omnipresence of the state's own Democratic Governor Edmund G. ("Pat") Brown. Already announced as a favorite son. Pat Brown, after a remarkably successful first year as Governor, is beginning to get serious notions about the 'White House. He is therefore extremely careful never to let the state's aspiring visitors get far out of his sight. As with Kennedy and Humphrey. Stu Symington's speaking dates and travel schedules were set up by the Brown-dominated Democratic State Central Committee.

Respectful Hearing. Beginning his tour in San Francisco. Symington was taken tightly in tow by Roger Kent. Northern California chairman of the State Central Committee and a devoted Brown follower. After speaking at a Fairmont Hotel luncheon--an affair arranged and run by Brown followers--Symington whisked off to Sacramento to spend a night with Brown himself. Next morning he sat with Brown (as had Kennedy) at a press conference, traded amiable tributes. Asked how he would regard Pat Brown as a running mate on the national Democratic ticket, Symington replied: "Well. I think so highly of Governor Brown that I'd be more interested in how he would rate me as his.'' Glowed Brown: "You're very gracious." After the press conference. Symington spoke briefly to the California legislature, where he drew a respectful hearing--although by no means as large an audience as had Kennedy.

Following the Kennedy-Humphrey path into Southern California, Symington went on to San Diego, was guest of honor at a $100-a-plate dinner. Present was a liberal sprinkling of aircraft executives and missile manufacturers, among whom onetime (1947-50) Air Force Secretary Symington is especially popular. But again, the meeting was dominated by the Brown-following San Diego County Democratic Committee. Indeed, it was not until he got to Los Angeles that Symington was able to do any real digging out of reach of the watchful Brown followers. There, at a cocktail party at the home of his old, close friend, Oilman Edwin Pauley. Symington moved easily among guests ranging from Frank Sinatra to Hotelman Conrad Hilton. But he also spent a long while in private, animated conversation with Host Pauley, whose wealth and whose influence as Harry Truman's top West Coast follower are Symington's best hopes for striking California pay dirt.

Almost Glandular. Heading back for Washington. Missouri's Symington planned to tour Ohio this week, Maine next week. He was satisfied enough with his California excursion--and indeed he had made friends. Said one of Pat Brown's senior aides: "Kennedy and Humphrey are almost glandular as they talk about politics. They act as though they are trying to overwhelm you with their drive. Symington on the other hand is playing the loosest kind of ball game you ever saw. I'm impressed with him as a very decent guy."

But the supporters of Jack Kennedy and Hubert Humphrey were also pleased with Symington's California appearance." Both Kennedy and Humphrey have long feared Symington, who until last week had been playing the closest-to-the-chest game of all the Democratic hopefuls, staying in the presidential background and waiting for the front-runners to kill each other off. Now, for the first time, Stu Symington was looking, talking and acting like a real candidate--and on those terms, followers of both Kennedy and Humphrey were saying that they could top him in California, or, for that matter, in the convention. The facts of the matter seemed to give their claims some color, for by almost unanimous agreement of California's political observers, Stuart Symington, after his visit as before, was running a poor California fifth to Adlai Stevenson, Jack Kennedy, Pat Brown and Hubert Humphrey.

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