The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1939-07-20

Observation-Disclosures of Vic
President John Nance Garner ar
naturally delighted with the recen
polls showing that Garner is far ans
away the most popular of the Demo
cratic contenders for the presiden
tial nomination next year, not count
ing President Roosevelt himself. His
tremendous lead over New York s
native son, James A. Farley, who
runs second in the polls, with every.
BODY else way down the list, is most
impressive.
There IS one angle of this, how
ever. which keeps the whole effect
from being perfect, from the Gar
ner mems viewpoint. That is the
possibility that the effect of such
polls will cause Farley to become
a hundred per cent booster for a
: Roosevelt third term That to the
Farley men, would be just about the
most terrible thing that could hap
pen. They are counting heavily on
big Jim IN the next 10 months
not to aid Garner directly, but to
oppose Roosevelt and thus aid the
Texas candidate indirectly.
For some time now the Garner
folks have admitted privately that
their one big hurdle is Roosevelt
himself, not the fear that he might
support some candidate other than
Garner-that would not worry them
at all-but the fear that he might 90
after the nomination himself. They
are sure they can beat anyone else
at the Democratic convention. They
think they can beat Roosevelt him.
self, but when they begin to talk
about that there is a certain change
IN their manners which indicates
that there is at least an element OF
doubt.
Hence another phase of the re.
cent polls, which would seem to indi-
cate that, at the present moment,
Roosevelt could not carry New York
state against strong Republican,
Ii highly satisfactory to the Garner
workers. Their chief fear about the
delegates at the Democratic national
convention is that they may believe
that Roosevelt is the only Democrat
who could possibly be elected.
Vietc Is Untriftingly
Encouraged by Republicans
Curiously enough this view is be-
ing given more encouragement,
though unWittingly, by the Republi-
cans than by the Roosevelt fanatics
themselves. The point is that every
time Republican leader sounds
of about the third term he creates
the impression that the Republicans
would rather have the Democrats
nominate anyone else than Roose-
welt. Hence the logical deduction
that the Republicans believe they
would hive more difficulty beating
Roosevelt than any other Democrat.
To a man interested chiefly in
party success-as many of the dele
gates will be, because in the nature
OF things they are men either hold
ing office or benefiting in some 9th
er way from Democratic rule at
Washington-it might become very
important that the Republicans be-
Aeve Roosevelt would be the hardest
man to beat 1t would give Roose-
welt strong ace in the hole in the
convention maneuvering.
The truth is that there is no such
positive conviction among the Re-
publicans, though there is enough
fear that it is true to justify the
suspicion. The Republicans have
been concentrating on the anti-third
term tradition because they have
been believing sratAef firmly In 10
now that Roosevelt would be the
Democratic nominee.
Embarrass advocates Of
Third Term for Roosevelt
New Dealers are terribly ANNOYED
over the recent polls, widely pub
llshed throughout the country. The
move to have congressional inves-
tlgatlon Of such polls-as to how
they are taken, and particularly wbv
they are taken--was born some
weeks before the recent DOLL of New
York state, which has been more
embarrassing to the advocates Of a
third term for Roosevelt than any
one other thing that has happened
anywhere, any time, or on any sub
ject.
a very sound argument can be
made against the polls, due to !
queer characteristic of human na.
.ure. For some reason there are
OTIS OF people who like to be hand.
wagon riders. They want to be with
he winner. This resulted in ouite
an outcry from the Democrats
eaders back in 1916. 1t will be re-.
allied that most Of the eastern
tates, which reported fairly early
m election night, went decisivelv
or Charles E. Hughes. Democratic
eaders commended that something
hould be done about this on the
heory that on the Pacific coast peo-
lie who had not yet voted would