Evening star., 1936-08-12
ROOSEVELT VISITS
MARYLAND RALLY
Assured State Is "Safe. ="
Starts Flood inspection
Trip Tomorrow.
BY J. RUSSELL YOUNG.

President Roosevelt will leave Wash
ington tomorrow for a three-day in
spection tour of flood areas in Penn
sylvania and New York before going
10 his Hyde Park home. where he
will devote the greater part of the
next week or 10 days to comforting
with party leaders regarding the con-
! duct of his campaign.
The news regarding Maryland was
given to the President during a party
''pow-wow" which Mr.. Roosevelt at
tended last night at the country es-
tate of Sumner Welles. Assistant Sec
retary of State, on the banks of the
| Potomac River a short distance from
Oxon Hill.
The Presidents participation in this
Maryland meeting came as a surprise,
as word that Mr.. Roosevelt would
make the journey to the Welles estate
and take part in the meeting was not
revealed in advance. The secret was
kept from most of the Democratic
leaders participating in the meeting.
President Talks.
| During the discussion Of his party's
prospects the President heard reports
of conditions in various parts of the
State from those attending and then
gave an extemporaneous talk himself.
which has been described by listeners
as a Democratic pep talk"
Chairman Farley Of the Democratic
National Committee, who is now CIV
ing all of his time to getting the party
organization in battle formation, said
after a conference with the President
at the White House earlier yesterday
that he had arranged to confer with
virtually every State leader within the
next two or three weeks.
He intimated that some Of these
leaders. following their conferences
at the New York headquarters, would
Journey to Hyde Park to talk with
the President during his stay there
prior to embarking on August 26 for
his inspection trip through the
drought areas.
There is reason to know the Presi-
dent and his principal political lieu
tenants are eager at this early date
to get an actual first-hand report
on the true situation in each State
before putting the finishing touches
on the general campaign plans. par
ticularly as they affect the personal
participation Of Mr. Roosevelt. The
high command is feeling its way care
fully before determining in just what
sections of the country the President
should make his personal campaign.
Meeting Arranged Hastily.
The Oxon Hill political gathering
is understood to have been called
somewhat hastily. Welles. it was
learned, arranged the Presidents
participation during visits at the
White House Monday and yesterday.
Among those who sat about the
table in the living room of the palatial
Welles home, besides the President
and the host, were Senator Radcliffe,
chairman of the Roosevelt Maryland
Campaign Committee; Mayor Howard
w. Jackson Of Baltimore. National
Committeeman Howard Bruce, Joseph
P. Healey, treasurer of the Democratic
State Camapign Committee: Kent r.
Mullikin of Laurel. Democratic floor
leader in the Maryland House Of Dele
gates; E. Brooke Lee of Silver Spring,
former leader of Montgomery County.
and State Senator Stedman Prescott,
present county leader.
Senator Tydings was absent. He Is
vacationing in the Maine woods.
Radcliffe Calls.
Senator Radcliffe called at the
White House today to check up on
several matters in which the President
was interested. He expressed en-
thusiasm over what was accomplish
ed at the gathering at the Welles
home.
Radcliffe said he and several other
State leaders would go to New York
Monday for a conference with Chair
man Farley at Democratic headquar-
tiers. He said he would be able to tell
Farley the Maryland organization is
in good shape and that what few fac
tional differences now exist will be
subordinated during the campaign,
because there are no State issues.
When asked why yesterdays meet
ing was cloaked with so much secrecy.
Senator Radcliffe said he could not
answer that as he did not arrange 1t.
After this meeting, which lasted
about two hours. the President was
understood to have expressed him
self as well pleased with all he heard
about the situation in Maryland.
No burning question" was brought
up at the meeting, Senator Rad
cliffe said, terming it general dis
cusion. The President. said the Sena-
tor, took a keen interest" in party
affairs in Maryland, inquiring about
the trend" there.
Campaigning Starts Early.
Radcliffe said the President was
| told that ordinarily in Maryland, ac-
tive campaigning was not started until
after Labor day, but that this year 1t
was begun Immediately after the
meeting about two months ago OF the
Democratic State Central Committee.
The Maryland Senator said, II was
very much pleased with the Presi-
dents general attitude toward the
committee and the campaign"
Mr.. Roosevelt motored back to the
White House in the evening, reaching
here shortly before 8 pm.
Before motoring to the Welles es-
tate, President Roosevelt visited Sec
retary Of War Dern, who has been Ill
| for long time from the effects OF
influenza at Walter Reed Hospital.
Mr.. Roosevelt will leave on a special
train tomorrow morning, his first prin-
cipal stop being Johnstown. Pa, which
suffered severely during the Spring
floods. From Johnstown he will go to
Cleveland. where he will visit the
Great Lakes Exposition Friday morn
ing. He will then travel through West
ern New York, and Friday night at
Chautauqua he will deliver the only
major address scheduled for the trip.
From there he will return to Pennsyl-
vania. visiting Scranton and Wilkes
Barre Saturday morning before start
ing for his Hyde Park home. He Is to
reach there about midnight Saturday.
The President arranged to see a
t-lA- Issaf