State Democrats Firmly Under Control Of Uaw

LANSING- The Michigan Democratie party is marching bravely intot the future neck in halter with its staunchest pal, the United Auto Workers union. It hasn't elected a governor since 1960. It insisted on a presidential primary last year which Gov. George C. Wallace of Alabama proceeded to win; in November it let a supposedly Democratie state give a big margin to Republican President Richard M. Nixon. It handled the parochiaid issue so skillfully that Democratie voters in Detroit subúrbs saved Gov. William G. Milliken f r o m nis outstate Republican constituency; it explained cross-district school busing so carefully and often Atty. Gen. Frank J. Kelley never had a chance af election to the Senate. f lts two previous state chairmen were disasters and the newesi-handpicked by the UAW- believes the wisest policy is for nobody to say anything about anything. William C. Marshall, president of the second biggest labor constituency in the Democratie party, the Michigan AFL-CIO, had something to say publicly about what was wrong with the party he 1 o v e s . Another Democrat, Black caucus chairman David S. Holmes, Jr., took exception publicly. UAW official Sam Fishman came to Lansing and told them both to shut up. New Chairman Morley Winograd then issued a statement to the press that earlier rein a r k s by Marshall and Holmes may have been misunderstood. It would take a phüosopher to explain all these marvels, but fortunately the Michigan Democrats have one- Neil Staebler, of Ann Arbor, who with G. Mennen Williams and some others helped build the party and win seven consecutive gubernatorial elections. In that era, Staebler now says, the Democratie party was "a guided party," meaning that "Soapy" Williams provided the leadership and spoke for Democrats as only a governor can. ■ Today, Staebler says, it is ■ "a pluralistic party" and Democrats are learning to live in "a pluralistic power system." What happened in the past 12 months, Staebler adds, may indicate the party was "confused and lacking in purpose, but those deficiencies are being corrected" and the party has great plans for the future. Staebler goes on to say that the problem of the party now is to provide "a meaningful objective so that both young and oíd can work for it," but there are encouraging signs such as, "a lot of excellent young people are coming into the party." He didn't name former Republican Congressman Donald W. Riegle, Jr., of Flint but when Riegle recently announced his conversión to the Democratie party the public announcements by officials showed an almost pathetic gratitude. In the heyday of Soapy Williams' and Staebler' s power Riegle would have given blood and saliva samples and gone before a council of elders for catechism, before the label of Democrat was granted to him. Staebler, who has served as fund-raiser, party chairman, national committeeman, elected Congressman-at-large and unsuccessful governor candidate over the years, says what is wrong, or rather lacking, in the party today is not evidence of sickness. "The party is not anemic, not feverish; what is wrong is apathy which I think is temporary, not malignant," Staebler éxplains. And as to the UAW, Staebler declares "It is the largest cohesive, discernible, collective influence in the party but it is not as powerful an influence as it used to be." He estimated it has about "thirty per cent" of the policy and leadership power, with "the McGovern influence" almost numerically equal but not as cohesive a forcé, plus the fact there is "overlap" in that some UAW leaders, like Vice President Douglas Fraser, were for Sen. George McGov-, ern. ThaVs ]ust what blunt Bill I Marshall was talking about a I few weeks ago: when the UAW I said back Sen. Edmund I kie, the party machinery went. I When Muskie self-aborted, the I UAW said back McGovern, and the party machinery went. B u t without Bill Marshall whose AFL-CIO then put its troops and money into electi n g Congressmen and a stronger Democratie majority in the state House of Representatives. The Teamsters were already long gone; many to support Nixon. As to Fishman and Winograd spending more than four hours behind closed doors instructing Marshall and Holmes to ponder the virtue of keep! ing things closed, Staebler's response is the familiar oíd i chuckle of the indulgent uncle. "Democrats always have disagreements among themselves," he said for 9,990th time in his political career. With a straight face, Staebler said that in between meetings of the state central committee (next one, April 7 in Midland) and party conventions, "no one leader will speak publicly on any issue." And so the puzzled student begins to perceive what the philosopher-laureate of the Michigan Democratie party is driving at: what's wrong with the Michigan Democratie Party is that while it has the fighting heart of. a champion, it has no head. Ónly, under the regency of the UAW, nobody is supposed to say so out loud.