Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-13
DEMOCRATIC CHIEFS VIEW
ROOSEVELT WITH DOUBT
Prefer Others and Are Convinced That
Foreclosure of Nomination Now
Would Be Bad Policy.

Roosevelt, but that they will prevent
his mailing down" the nomination long
in advance Of the convention; that they
will hold the situation in suspense until
the convention actually meets Gin June
of next year,. and that then-in the
light of things as they then stand
they will decide whether to let Roose-
welt have 1t, or give it to another
The Democratic leaders say they are
going to do this. But they do not take
the steps that alone would make this
intention come to fruit. They say they
are going to hold the Roosevelt move
ment in check by the aggregate
strength of the 'favorite son" candi-
dates But it is doubtful whether. un-
der the conditions Of the present situa-
ton. the combination of "favorite
sons" alone can head Roosevelt of
from getting the nomination lin the
bag" long before the convention meets.
The favorite son aspect of presiden-
tial nominations is one in which sew
eral candidates come to the convention
each with the delegates from his own
State. In the approaching convention.
for example, Gov. Richie will come
with the delegates from Maryland, Sen
ator Joseph T. Robinson with those OF
Arkansas. Gov. White or Newton D.
Baker COR BOTH with those of Ohio.
Senator J. Hamilton Lewis or some one
else with those of Illinois, presumably
Gov. Murray with those of Oklahoma
presumably former Gov. Byrd with
those of Virginia and SO Of.
On paper the separate strengths of
the favorite sons can be added up. and
the sum Of them is enough to provide
the third of the delegates which
can, under the Democratic rule, check
the nomination of any one candidate
and hold the situation in suspense I'M
til the party leaders determine what Is
best to be done
Meantime, however. Gov Roosevelt's
friends go ahead getting delegates for
him. He is the sole one OF the candi-
dates who is a candidate in States
other than his own. Roosevelt is a can
dldate all over the country. The mo-
mentum he acquires from that wide
spread activity may carry him so far
that as matter of popular psychology
If not OF numbers of delegates, it will
be impracticable for the party leaders
to deny him the nomination.
Condition May ChAn<e.
The net of which is that as OF toeav
Gov Roosevelt seems clearly heAItd
toward having enough delegates TO
nominate him on the first ballot. This
condition may change. 1t may change
through greater energy on the part>of
some of the other candidates-it,w would
be easy for Newton D. Baker to accu-
mulate approximately as MANY dee
gates as Gov Roosevelt Or the con-
dition now favoring Gov. Roosevelt,
and now seeming to promise his norli-
nation on the first ballot-that condi-
ton may change. may be utterly torn
to pieces, on the very eve of the con-
| vention. or during the convention. Il
may change, to mention one obvious
possibility. as the result Of fierce
| fight about the platform plank on pro-
hibition.
| But as of today Roosevelt is moving
steadily and without effective OPPOSE
ton toward getting the nomination on
the first ballot.
1t is interesting to observe that what
is here recorded as the attitude of the
Democratic leaders is borne out by the
attitude Of Democratic editors. One
hundred forty-two key" Democratic
editors, including at least two from each
State. were carefully polled by the
Outlook and Independent. To one
question. Who do you think will get
the nomination." a majority, rejecting
geographically nearly seven-eighths OF
the Democrats in the country, answered
Roosevelt"
But to the question in which each
editor was asked in effect, who in his
Judgment would make the best candi-
date and the best President-to that
question the largest group Of editors
answered Newton D. Baker. Compare
lively little real enthusiasm for Gov.
Roosevelt" said the Outlook and In
dependent, was shown by the Demo-
cratic editors. His nomination seemed
assured, they wrote, and they indicated
no desire to oppose the inevitable" But,
"if the editors who favor Baker were
ready to wage a campaign in his behalf
he might within the next few months,
become leading candidate"