Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-12-22
Roosevelt Too Busy
To Answer Query
On Politics
Declines Comment on
Progressive-liberol
Coalition for 1910

SOoIItIOn TOT I14V
President Roosevelt said today he
was too busy with important govern
mental matters. including inter-
national problems, to answer ques-
tons regarding his political future
or questions dealing directly with
politics.
Besides, the President added, he
has good sense of proportion and
of timing.
The President made the statement
at his press conference today in an
swer to questions intended to smoke
him out on his ideas about a third
term or the national political out
look
The question the President an
sWered today was whether he had
any comment to make on statements
from administration associates and
others regarding a possibility Of an
organization of progressive-lib
coalition to present united front
for the 1910 campaign. President
Roosevelt mad been represented as
having discussed the question with
one or two cabinet officers and with
having taken it under consideration.
Too Busy, Is Reply.
The President showed by his eX-
preston that he did not like the
question and indicated that his first
impulse was to answer it CURLY or
satirically as he has done in the
past when such questions were
raised. But he evidently changed
his mind and with his face Wreathed
in smiles, he said he was too busy.
Discussion of a united front for
liberals in the 1910 campaign stirred
Washington political circles today,
but there was little favorable re-
Spouse among members of Con-
gress.
Most of the legislators who would
comment mentioned the failure of
third party and allied movements
In the past. Some predicted that
sponsors of such proposal would
have difficulty in agreeing whether
a presidential nominee met their
measurements.
Secretary Ickes brought the sub
ject into the open yesterday with a
disclosure that Democratic and Re-
publican liberals might hold a con-
vention to back the nominee of their
liking, irrespective of party lines.
He said at his press conference he
had discussed the idea with Sena-
tor Norris, independent, of Nebraska,
and La Toilette, Progressive, of Wis
consin.
If both parties picked reaction
ary' nominees, Secretary Ickes said,
the liberals might be called on to
make a sacrifice hit" by launching
q third party.
La Guardia Visits White House.
About the same time, Mayor Flo
relic La Guardia of New. York Wis
tied the White House. When he left,
he told reporters he had discussed
with President Roosevelt the "neces-
sity of giving the American people
chance to vote on real issues in the
event the two parties take Siamese
twins, cut them in two and each
one take half"
La Guardia added the people
should have more than "a choice
between tweedledee and tweedle-
dunn" The reference recalled Mr..
Roosevlt's Jackson Day speech last
January, in which he said a con-
sentative Democratic party would
be "tweedledum to a Republican
tweedledee."
Shortly afterward, Attorney Cen
eral Murphy told reporters he shared
Secretary 1ckes' views, but thought
liberals ought to get together with
IN the Democratic party"
Liberal forces all through the
country ought to be cemented" said
Mr.. Murphy. There is a sort of
lack OF political utility in a State
such as Wisconsin, with liberals and
progressives divided as they are"
General speculation developed as
to whether a convention such as
Senator Ickes proposed might de-
velop into draft Roosevelt" move
ment. Asked about that phase, Mr..
Murphy replied:
Il do not want to discuss that, but
am frank to tell you that see no
one of the stature of Mr.. Roose-
welt"
Senator Norris declined to COM
ment on Mr.. Ickes' remarks, but
Senator Hatch, Democrat, of New
Mexico said:
Neither party will nominate a
reactionary. The Democratic party
Will nominate liberal, according to
my definition of a LIBERAL
He declined to elaborate on his
definition of a liberal.
Senator King, Democrat, of Utah
SAID he saw no need for a third
party, while Senator Ashurst, Demo-
GRAFT, of Arizona expressed belief
that third-party movement would
be doomed to failure.
What Theodore Roosevelt and
Hiram johnson, combined, couldn't
90 IN 1912, no man is going to do
singly now" he added.
Believed Impractical.
Senator Clark Democrat, of Idaho
said he was inclined to look with
favor on concerted action by liberals,
but added that "it doesn't look prac-
tical at this time" Even after the
conventions nominees are chosen,
he said, there may be great difficulty
In getting liberals to agree on a
choice.
Mr.. 1ckes indicated that action
might depend on President Roose-
velt's decision on a third term. In
that connection, Senator McCarran,
Democrat, of Nevada expressed the
belief that third-term candidacy
would find no favor with the people,
regardless of the personal popu-
larlty OF the candidate involved.
p