Democracy at Work

Political dopesters outside Virginia had bet on flop-eared, wing-collared Representative Howard W. Smith to succeed to the Senate seat of the late Carter Glass. Howard Smith, archfoe of labor unions, was a national figure, openly sought the post and was a member in good standing of Senator Harry F. Byrd's all-powerful state machine.

But at the Democratic Convention in Richmond last week Senator Byrd advertised his neutrality He could afford the unusual luxury: all seven contenders for the Senate seat were dead true to the boss.

In these happy circumstances delegates voted freely. After jockeying about with old-fashioned gusto, the convention picked not Smith, but tall, stooped A. Willis Robertson, 59, a Congressman for 13 years, a member of the Ways & Means Committee for ten years. Virginians recognized Robertson's own special qualities: he is an expert on wild life, a conservative lawyer, a believer in economy.

Harrumphed disappointed Howard Smith: "A great demonstration of democracy at work. . . . The man who cannot drink the dregs of defeat is not entitled to quaff the elixir of victory."

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