Strictly for the Bird

O, tell her, Swallow, thou that knowest

each, That bright and fierce and fickle is

the South, And dark and true and tender is the

North.

--Tennyson

Into Harrisburg, Pa. one evening last week fluttered a particular swallow known among political ornithologists as Lyndon Baines Johnson. Ostensibly, the Senate majority leader had flown to Pennsylvania's capital for a victory dinner saluting the new Democratic Governor, David Leo Lawrence. But the northward migration served a serious second purpose. Lyndon Johnson has been banded as a possible compromise 1960 presidential nominee. Even as he protests, he recognizes the danger of too much Southern identification; smoothly, in recent months, Texan Lyndon has changed to Western plumage.* Now, with a speech in Pennsylvania and two more at week's end in Boston, he was in position to determine how true and tender might be the North toward a presidential bird named Lyndon Johnson.

In Harrisburg's barn-big Zembo Temple, where 6,000 Democrats had shelled out $100 each for Johnson, roast beef, ice cream and the 48-piece Hegeman String Band, the reception was sweetly tender. The Hegeman String Band strummed Deep in the Heart of Texas. During the preliminaries, beaming Lyndon table-hopped through the hall and on through the two tents pitched to handle overflow diners, shook hands, cracked jokes ("You discovered oil here in Pennsylvania, but we get all the blame"). Boss Lawrence courteously introduced his guest as "the man who guided through the Congress the programs upon which the Democratic Party rests its case wfth the people."

Triumphant Boom. When time came for L.B.J. to speak, his refurbished oratorical style surprised even his friends. Gone was the perfunctory, toneless reading; he spoke slowly, ran the scale from a confidential whisper to a triumphant boom (for future reference, an aide in the audience noted where he talked too fast and where too slowly). But more redolent of candidacy was his message. Lyndon demanded (triumphant boom) Democratic leadership and action in 1960 to save America. Then he offered (confidential whisper) examples of such action: "Hawaiian statehood had been on the calendar for 40 years--and a Democratic Senate passed it in four hours. Limiting debate had been on the calendar for nearly 30 years--and a Democratic Senate acted in three days. And it was a Democratic Senate that gave the nation the first civil rights bill in 82 years." Left to the audience to grasp for itself: leadership in each case was Lyndon Baines Johnson's.

Flying on to Boston with wife Lady Bird Johnson for one of 66 Democratic celebrations honoring Harry Truman's 75th birthday (see PEOPLE), Lyndon landed carefully. Massachusetts, after all, is the nesting ground of a formidable front runner named John Fitzgerald Kennedy. Senator Kennedy met his majority leader at Boston's airport, later introduced him to 800 diners in the cream and gold Somerset Hotel ballroom, cagily saw him out of town again. Before the homefolk Jack took only one good-humored peck at Lyndon : "Some people refer to Senator Johnson as the next President of the United States, but I see no reason why he should take a demotion." Smiling broadly, Johnson bandied back. Said he: "I promise my backing to Jack Kennedy as a candidate for any office--to which he is nominated by the Democratic Party."

Nice Blend. At week's end, Johnson could rate his Northern foray a success. Massachusetts, of course, is Jack Kennedy's for as long as Kennedy wants it. Key-state Pennsylvania (more than 70 votes) is for whomever Dave Lawrence and Philadelphia Boss William Green want, and they are for the time being glad-handing everybody. But if Democrats eventually called for a compromise candidate, Lyndon had proved two points: 1) he was available, and 2) in the dark and true and tender North the middle-roading Texas swallow blended with the foliage very nicely.

*The Texas legislature last week was set to help Favorite Son Johnson's chances by moving the Texas primary (tantamount to election) up from July to May, thereby giving Johnson early opportunity to wrap up another six-year Senate term before the Democratic convention. Fortnight ago the legislature ruled that a candidate could run on Texas' general election ballot for President or Vice President as well as a statewide office (including the office of U.S. Senator from Texas).

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