The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-07-22

in 194O?
 The intense and widespread interest in this possibility was the most significant feature of his transcontinental tour. Everywhere he went from Marietta, Ohio, to San Diego, Cal, members of his party and newsnen were asked this question again and again.
 They were asked at wayside back-platforin stops, where only few hundred were in the crowd, again in big cities where tens of thousands packed the streets in remarkable ovations. Men and women, farmers and workers, business men and politicians, everybody was consumed with curiosity on this point.
 On a number of occasions the question actually was put di- rectIy to Roosevelt himself. The 4,000 members of the Rocky Mountain Fuel & Steel Workers Union did so when they handed him a petition at Pueblo, Colo, urging him to run again. Others shouted to him from the crowds: We are for you in 194O, MT. President" while there were scores of home made signs and posters reading President Roosevelt for President in 1940."
 In Los Angeles, during the in- formal reception on his private car before he left the train to motor to San Diego, an old local friend remarked laughingly: How is Bruce Barton's campaign for president coming along?"
 "I don't think Bruce will make it," the President chuckled.
 "He certainly wonv if he has to run against you," said the friend.
 Roosevelt laughed heartily. The Answer
 There is no yes or no answer to this question.
 The reason is that the President, himself, does not know. He can- not say positively and categori- cally today that he will do in 1940 because it depends on a lot of ifs.
 If world war breaks, it is en- tireIy possible that he may seek a third term on the slogan don't change horses in the mid- dle of the stream"
 Another major if is what his opponents in the Democratic party will try to do. If they gang up to prevent his nominating New Dealer to succeed him, it is not impossible that he may go after the nomination himself to prevent them from naming an Old Guarder.
 Liberal Successor
 On that issue, at least, Roose- welt has emphatically made up his mind. He may be undecided about a third term for himself, but in the matter of his successor there dIc IlO llS, dIluS UT UuIo.
 Either the candidate will be Q liberal of Roosevelt's choosing or he will upset the Democratic applecart. He will run himself in that event, or bolt the Democra- tic party and tie up with the La Follettes to put Progressive in the field.
 194O-COnsciOus
 In private, the President is keenly 1940-conscious.
 No one could be otherwise af- ter the spectacular first-hand evidence of his popularity. plus the definite information that his Democratic enemies are secretly busy already lining up convention delegates.
 In several western states, the President was told by local sup pOrters that Vice President Gar ner has made quiet overtures to grab off those delegations.
 Roosevelt also was tipped off that Jim Farley has been playing some very subterranean and delicate 190 politics. No one seemed to know exactly what Jim was up to, but all local leaders who talked to the President were convinced Jim was laying his lines for dele gataes and that the Presidential branding-iron secreted up his sleeve did not bear then initials "F. D. R."
 It was strongly suspected, on the other hand, that they read "J. A. F."
 The final answer to 1940, of course, depends on the present primaries.
 If the President succeeds in "purging" such leading New Deal foes as Senator George of Geor- gia and Senator Tydings of Mary land, the backbone of the under cover drive against him may well NRSHS SVSWNr% nrSN0nn