Evening star., 1939-11-26

r1tionS for the White House.
chance his reputation against the
third-term tradition.
1t is the consensus of many persons
that Mr.. Roosevelt has not decided on
his 1910 course but that in any event he
wants to do one of two things: Accept
third-term nomination or select his sue
cessor. For his successor he naturally
wants New Dealer and if possible
strong man, meaning one who will lead
the country rather than follow Congress
or business groups.
The Presidents first choice, if he does
not run, it is held, would be Solicitor
General Robert H. Jackson, who, un-
fortunately for himself, comes from the
State of New York, where Postmaster
General-National Chairman James A.
Farley holds the Democratic power. If
Mr.. Jackson had come from Missouri
Illinois, Indiana or Ohio he would have
a far greater chance next year. despite
his lack of the political "oomph" that Is
supposed to be necessary to attract party
leaders and mass voters.
Even Mr.. McNutt's detractors concede
that the Security Administrator proved
himself strong man as Governor of
Indiana and High Commissioner to the
Philippines. The question, and 1T is said
to worry the President. remains: Is he
New Dealer at heart?
AS head of the Federal Security
Agency, Mr.. McNutt has the opportunity
OF lifetime to write his own answer to
the question. This agency, with its ap-
peal to the old-age pensioners, the un-
employed and the vast lower-wage
groups, has more than 46500 900 persons
on its rolls and a Federal administrative
personnel of about 2100O. It's operations
affect the personal economy of more
than three-fourths of the families of the
United States. To impress the country
and Mr.. RooSevelt-Mr. McNutt has to
prove that he is an efficient administra-
tor of this New Deal organization and
that he is sincerely devoted to the ideals
1t represents. If he succeeds, the PreSi-
dent may tap him for the White House.
Mr.. McNutt and his adherents realize
the advantages and disadvantages of the
situation. The security agency they
regard merely as stepping stone to the
White House. Their candidate positive
ly must not slip or stumble before the
convention. They have no doubt that
Mr.. McNutt will succeed in his present
job. His assets are his administrative
ability, his unabashed will to power his
lack of national voting record and
President Roosevelt's past favors. His
political liabilities are his reputation as
Fascist his personality, which ap-
peals to many as just little too charm
ingly slick and overpowering and the
enmity of Democratic Chairman Fairly.
Cultivating New Dealers.
Since coming to Washington Mr..
McNutt has tried various ways to dem
onstrate that the Fascist appellation of
"Hoosler Hitler" is a gross misnomer and
at the same time to cultivate the ardent
New Dealers and the purported palace
politicians, notably Thomas G. Corcoran.
For general counsel of the security
agency, Mr.. McNutt named his own man,
Fowler V. Harper, who as dean of the
Indiana University Law School won the
praise of Harold Laski, British radical.
AS rowing consultant he selected David
Cushman Coyle, New Deal pamphleteer
and exponent of the spending theory of
economic salvation. He has sought the
friendship of Associate Justice Hugo L.
Black, S. E. c. Commissioner Edward C..
Eicher, Federal Works Administrator
John M. Carmody and Lauchlin Currie,
one of the White House administrative
assistants
These are imposing names of New
Dealers whose loyalty to Mr.. Roosevelt's S
domestic program cannot be successfully
challenged. So far as known, however,
the Establishments used on Mr. Corcoran
and other third-termers have yet to
succeed.
The McNutt organization is also striv-
ing to remove the odorous reputation of
the 1.-TWO Per Cent Club" among political
writers. This organization was created
when Mr.. McNutt was Governor of In
diana to levy 2 per cent contribution
on all State jobholders' salaries. The
funds went to the Hoosier Democratic
Club, which was exempted by statue from
the necessity of making public its fnan-
cial operations. Now, whenever writer
implies that Mr.. McNutts presidential
campaign is being financed by the Two
Per Cent Club, he receives a friendly
but hurt letter from Maurice Judd, Mr..
McNutt's information director and a for
mer washington reporter, pointing out