Democratic Leaders Foresee Peaceful Midterm Conference

KANSAS CITY, Mo.--Democratic Congressional leadership foresaw yesterday a peaceful Democratic midterm conference in Kansas City, marked more by compromise than conflict.

State delegates and Democratic party leaders shared this assessment. Party reformers and regulars have agreed in previous meetings to a series of negotiated positions, some of which will surely stand.

En route to Kansas City, Senator Lloyd M. Bentson (D-Tex.), a presidential hopeful, said "The convention has to result in a compromise--no one gets what they want all the time." He said he hopes to see an economic plank come out of the convention since "That's the biggest issue" facing the country at this time.

Senator Walter F. Mondale (D-Minn.) said he looked forward to seeing a unified party as a result of the convention. He said, "The convention is going to hurt less than I expected. I was afraid of a bloody fratricidal war, but its not going to develop. A unified party is not only possible but likely."

Former New York Governor Averell Harriman said, "There will be differences of opinion, but not too fundamental. Most of the differences have been hammered out in previous talks." He also said "The convention is not to settle democratic policies--that's for Congress to do."

Most elected officials emphasized their intention to work with their delegation to promote negotiation. Congressman John F. Sieberling '41 (D-Va.) said, "Many members of Congress are going, not because the convention will be particularly enjoyable, but because we feel that as elected officials we've learned the art of compromise, and know something about political processes."

Unsurprisingly the consensus of the Democratic Congressmen is to bring the party together for 1976 and to make a decisive statement on the economic situation.