Evening star., 1932-06-28
Roosevelt's Belated Telegram.

Late last Thursday night at Chicago
Chairman Farley Of the New York State
Democratic Committee, manager Of the
Roosevelt campaign for the Democratic
presidential nomination, held a meet
ing of leading supporters of the New
York Governor at which it was de-
cided to seek the abrogation Of the
two-thirds rule in order to permit the
nomination by majority vote. There
was then in evidence a considerable
ma ajority of delegate strength in favor
of Gov. Roosevelt. In the absence of
any statement from Albany it was &C
cepted that Gov. Roosevelt agreed to
this policy of convention campaigning,
Notwithstanding the fact that in 1924,
on the eve Of the New York convention
of the party, he explicitly expressed his
doubt whether ANY rules of the con-
vention should be changed after the
delegates are elected" adding that IF
after the convention has met it should
appear that the old rules are working
a hardship on the party that might be
a reason for change next year"
The decision of the Roosevelt man.
agement at Chicago to seek the re-
placement Of the two-thirds rule by a
majority rule to govern this present
convention aroused a storm of protest
and evoked only thinly yelled threats
of bolt against nomination obtained
through change of rules on the eve
of the balloting. Yesterday, nearly
four days after the announcement that
the Roosevelt managers would seek a
change of rule, Gov. Roosevelt sent a
message to his State chairman, saying
l believe and always have believed
that the two-thirds rule should nc
longer be adopted. It is undemocratic
Nevertheless, it is true that the issue
was not raised until after the delegates
to this convention had been selected
and I decline to permit either myself
or my friends to be open to the accusa-
ton of poor craftsmanship, or to the
use of methods which could be called
even falsely, those of a steam roller.
GAIL dNSO1hAl61y dohAlS MY 1IltIlue
In Chicago to cease their efforts to
secure the adoption of the majority
nominating rule at the opening of the
permanent organization I ask this OF
those delegates who are honoring me
with their support and who number
many more than a majority. / trust,
however, that the Committee on Rules
may recommend some rule to insure
against the catastrophe of deadlock
or prolonged balloting.
1t is not clear whether this telegram
was in hand when by vote of 80 to
20 the Rules Committee yesterday
adopted compromise regulation pro-
vtding for nomination by a simple
majority If the first six ballots failed
to effect a choice. This has been
called compromise between q
straight-out repeal of the two-third;
rule to apply to this convention anc
retention of that rule to govern in the
nomination of the ticket for 1892. As
a matter of fact it is not a compromise
at all If the assured Roosevelt strength
is at this point more than a majority
but less than two-thirds. The effect OF
such rule as that proposed is abroga-
tion of the century-old rule in the
middle of the nomination fight.
The question remains why Gov
Roosevelt waited nearly four days tc
make his position clear He was In
constant communication with his man
ayers and doubtless knew every move
that was being made. Had he re-
pudiated the move for abrogation i'm
mediately and stood by his precept OF
1924 he would have been in much
stronger position than he is now as
either candidate for the nomination
or as the nominee of his party, if that
should be effected.