Ashes from a Peace Pipe

"What the Democratic Party needs," goes a new saying of Washington coinage, "is a silent Butler." The reference is to Democratic National Committee Chairman Paul Butler, whose month-long butting battles with his party's leadership in Congress (TIME, July 20) has left the unhappy taste of ashes on many a Democratic regular's tongue. Last week Hoosier Butler's noisy rampage against what he feels is a too-moderate course by Senate Majority Leader Lyndon Johnson and House Speaker Sam Rayburn took a new turn. Paul Butler phoned Sam Rayburn for an appointment, then jogged up to the Capitol and spent an hour in earnest conversation with Rayburn and Johnson. There was little doubt that his action was in the nature of a peace pilgrimage that included a single serving of crow for a strangely silent Paul Butler.

Chairman Butler's effort to mend things came after a flood of vengeful rumors (e.g., that he was trying to steal the presidential nomination) and a new outbreak of demands that he be fired. Pennsylvania's powerful Governor Dave Lawrence rebuked Butler for washing party linen in public, and West Coast Democrats were still shooting angry sparks because Butler had deleted praise for congressional Democratic leadership from a letter that California's Governor Pat Brown had sent in accepting membership on the liberal-hued Democratic Advisory Council.

Presumably, Paul Butler munched these specifics along with his crow during his meeting with Rayburn and Johnson, but when newsmen poured into Mr. Sam's office to look at the bones, everything was tidy and all was sweet harmony. "We agreed," said Rayburn, "that none of the three of us is trying to be divisive. There was no loud talk, no violent disagreement, no fightin' and scratchin'." Rayburn added that he takes no stock in demands for Butler's resignation, and that he and Johnson assured Butler that they are true to the Democratic Party's legislative ideals, "and let the chips and vetoes fall where they may." And as Paul Butler and smiling Lyndon Johnson nodded agreement, Texan Sam Rayburn added meaningfully: "We agreed with Mr. Butler that we will call him when we have something to tell him, and when he wants to talk with us, he will call us."

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