'Doves' Fail To Capture State Convention

GRAND EAPIDS-The "dove" drive to win control of the state Democratie convention has failed, but a proposed compromise resolution on Vietnam may help restore the badly splintered party's unity. Anti-war forces in the convention appear to have enough strength and nuisance power to force some concessions out of the pro-Humphrey leaders who are trying desperately to put the state party back together again. The compromise Vietnam plan was drafted in a post midnight strategy session of top lleaders, including most of those who had been at opposite ends on the issue. The propos al i essentially the same minority IreDort which failed at the ational convention but which was supported there by the majority of the Michigan delegation. Added to the report, though, s the theme in Hubert Humphrey's acceptance speech, that ;he "policies of tomorrow will not be limited by the policies of yesterday." That position, if adopted by the entire convention today, would help unite the divergent views by including both the proMcCarthy plans and also the majority support of Humphrey Dove delegates to the state meeting however apparenüy are thwarted in their original intention to try to take absolute majority control of the conven tion. The formal tests are being made today but the battle for the real power of control, no m ideological issue, was decidid late last night in district :aucuses and private leaderhip conferences. In brief, the doves led by exState Party Chairman Zolton Terency found they have perhaps a tbird of the 2,305 delégate votes. Supporting Ferency is a oosely organized group of many of the workers who had Deen committed before the national convention to Sens. Eugene McCarthy and George McGovern, plus some "Black Caucus" mmbers. Ferency had hoped that if all the anti-Humphrey elements in the state party turned out for the Grand Rapids meeting that they could at least put a "peace stamp" on the state general campaign. There also had been talk oi choosing "uncommitted" presi iential elector s who might notl vote for Hubert Humphrey even f he won the popular vote in November. But that wishful idea, alongj with many other dreams, is now in ashes. Most of the clout was administered in the balloting on issues and candidates in the individual caucuses last night of the 19 congressional districü organizations. Ferency forces apparentljj were in a clear majority iij only one outstate district, tha 6th (comprising Jackson, Ing] ham and Shiawassee Counties) and in one or two Wayne Counj ty districts. . A battle had been expected in the 7th District caucus (which in eludes the city of Flint and all of Genesee and Lapeer Counties), but the labor and dove forces instead decided to érate, at least for now. Ferency, as an East Lansing resident, was a member of the Sth District caucus and was in control from a front row seat. The dove forces from Ingham County outnumbered the p r oadministration delegates about 2 to 1 in the district caucus and easily pushed through w h a t they wanted. The debate was heated, though. Ferency was nominated to be the district's presidential elector and was asked by delégate Richard Gute of O w o s s o whether he would vote for Humphrey in the electoral college balloting which formally selects the president. i 'TU make the same pledge which has been required of dele gates of southern states," Fer ency replied'. 'Til pledge not to vote for the nominees of the other parties." Another delégate asked Ferency if he would be "more posiive" about supporting the par;y's nominee. "No," Ferency answered. Ferency, however, and h i s supporters may still have to ofïcially answer before the whole convention if they would sign a loyalty oath for the Democratie candidates. Still a puzzle is how the Negro state delegates will go. State Rep. David Holmes Jr. of Detroit, chairman of the informal Black Caucus, said the group had no advance plans and would "play it by ear." Negro delegates were absent from s e v e r a I general meetings, though, as they tried to decide where to throw their support. Above all of the convention hangs that air of uncertainty and more than a little fear of what may happen to the state party if it does not unite behind a Michigan ticket and the naioral slate. In addition to selecting presidential electors, the convention s to nomínate candidates for nine state-wide offices, includïng one Supreme Court seat, two members of the state aoard of education, and the rest for the governing boards of the three major universities. If the Ferency elements pull out their working support after the convention, many delegates fear Republicans will t a k e many of those state offices, as well as keeping the state House of Representatives in GOP hands. "Fin just afraid," one county Democrat said, "that Z o 1 1 o n Ferency is willing to lose this election and maybe the next in order to eventually take over the state party."