New-York tribune., 1919-12-17
Tammany Happy Over En-
try of Regular Member
Into PresidentialRace and
Prepares to Support Him
McAdoo Boom Vanishing
Ex Ambassador Loyal to
Tiger and Will Step
A ST e for Wilson

James ". Gerard, former Ambassa-
dor to Germany and member of Tam
many Hall in good and regular stand
ing, frankly proclaimed yesterday that
he was a candidate for the Democratic
nomination for the Presidency and was
in the race to stay-provided President
Wilson was not candidate for renom-
ination.
III have had no promises Of support
from the Tammany organization" said
Mr.. Gerard. "but l am an organization
man. In this connection I might say I
supported Supreme Court Justice New
burger, but I also supported Senator
James A. Foley for Surrogate. I
entered the race because it looked like
a good sporting proposition"
Tammany Ready to Help
1t can be said Tammany is only too
willing to lend its aid to Mr.. Gerard
or any other purely locally favorite
son and swing the upstate delegates
to his support as against William g.
McAdoo, ,sonn-in-law of President. Will
son. and former Secretary of the
Treasury, who lives in Westchester
County, and is not any too popular
with the local Democratic organization.
And in this connection there was
revival yesterday Of the talk that
Tammany might try to swing the New
York State delegation for Governor
Alfred L. Smith. But those who pro-
Tess to know the Governors ambitions,
while admitting that q nomination for
the Presidency would not be rejected
by him. insist he is keeping his powder
dry for the nomination for United
States Senator.
Mr.. Gerard said he decided at the
last moment to seek the Endorsement
of his party in the South Dakota pri-
maries when it seemed to him that
that primaries would go by default.
His friends had told him that Pres
ldent Wilson in all probability would
not be candidate.
No Rival of Wilson
'Presidcnt Wilson and l are by no
means political rivals added Mr..
Gerard s"If he sees fit to withdraw
his name from the ballot in the
South Dakota primaries | will remain
in the fight. Unless he does 50, how
ever, | will withdraw"
As a candidate Mr.. Gerard said he
would stand for the prompt ratification
of the peace treaty and the covenant
of the league Of nations "as they were
brought back by President Wilson
without amendments or reservations
Dispatches from Pierre, S. D., quotet
the statement of principles filed witt
the petition as saying Mr.. Gerard ia
vored excepting the country safe fo1
democracy. In amplifying this yes
terday he gave out a statement whici
he said embodied his platform. The
statement said:
Prompt ratification Of the peace
treaty and the league Of nations GOV
enant, immediate establishment Of thu
league at Geneva, immediate reduction
of war taxes, prompt restoration o
normal labor and trade conditions b.
proper legislation.
Tiger Rejoices Over Candidacy
Tammany was jubilant over the an
nouncement of the Gerard candidacy
as the organization was in a dilemma
over the Presidential aspirations o
Mr. McAdoo, which have been recev
ing considerable impetus at the hand
of Bernard NJ. Baruch and Thomas /
Chadbourne jr
Equally active in this state ar
friends Of United States Attorney Gen
eral Palmer. and between them, an
the sponsors of the McAdoo boom, 10
cal ana upstate democrats nave Oee1
having a hard time of it keeping OF
the fence.
Now that Gerard is in the race Tam
many, which also means the entr
Democratic state machine, can cithe
come out openly for him or just trai
along with the procession.
Pledges for Gerard may be made b,
upstate leaders at the get-toge ther din
ner of the state Democratic leader
scheduled to take place in Albany earl
in January.
When word reached the McAdoo mel
this dinner was under discussion an
they saw to it that William W. Farley
the Democratic State Chairman, invite
their hero Friends of United State
Attorney General Palmer did likewise
and it is safe wager Mr.. Gerard will
be a guest also at the dinner