While Washington pledged to bring Chicago together, visiting Black leaders bore differing conclusions over the stability of the traditional national Democratic coalition of Black and white interests in light of Chicago's election.

Walter Fauntroy, a Congressional delegate from Washington, D.C., said that Chicago's election indicated that rank-and-file white Democrats "are not yet ready" to support national Black causes. Jesse Jackson, the civil rights leader, and Fauntroy affirmed their interest in mounting a Black presidential candidacy to shake up complacent white leaders.

Blacks are "a very big factor in politics now," Jackson said. He added that a Black contender could take enough delegates into the Democratic national convention to shake the platform and even--as a kingmaker--choose the nominee.

But Rep William H. Gray (D-Penn), a member of the Congressional Black Caucus and a supporter of Philadelphia's Black mayoral candidate Goode, said that the Chicago election has no bearing on the viability of a black Presidential candidate.

Chicago's racial trouble stems from strong ethnic enclaves that have very little contact with one another," he said.

The race was the kind of ethnic power struggle long-apparent in urban politics, and didn't reflect any national tensions. Gray said, adding that Goode had no such problems in Philadelphia, in his race against former mayor Frank Rizzo.

But whatever the nature of Chicago's turmoil, the new mayor must move to ease it. On Wednesday afternoon at a press conference following the "unity lunch." Washington said. "There is divisiveness. We are aware of it. For some reason, we want to keep it hidden, but it has risen to the surface. There will be friction recurrent friction. One must be sensitive to different cultures, different ideologies and colors."

"It is my responsibility to reach out into every neighborhood, every enclave, every citizen," he added.

At 2:30 Wednesday morning, standing on then cars streaming into the streets and honking then horns. Washington supporters seemed ready to be friends.

A young Black man stood at a doorway, slapping palms with jubilant Blacks as they passed by A white man came through and held out his hand. The slapper looked perplexed.

"Well," he said finally, "can't leave nobody out." They grinned and touched hands.