Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-08-26
The Political Mill
President RooseveIt's Messages Express
Americas Desire for Peace

be, in effect, a move to keep the
Alabama delegation In line for a
New Deal Democratic candidate for
the presidential nomination wheth-
er the President himself or an
other.
New Dealers Have Troubles.
Mr.. Bankhead, in announcing his
willingness to have his name pre-
Sented to the national conven-
ton next year, did not men,
ton a third term for Roosevelt.
He did, however, laud the Presi-
dent to the skies. In this Bank
head move in Alabama is seen an
effort to head off the drive among
some Southern Democrats to turn
to Vice President Garner or some
other candidate more acceptable to
the conservative wing of the party
than to President Roosevelt and
the New Dealers.
Beyond a doubt, the New Dealers
will have their troubles in the Sc
lection of delegates to the conven-
ton in other Southern States. That
is true for Virginia, North Caro-
lima, South Carolina, Georgia and
Texas, and perhaps for some of
the other States. Opposition to a
third term for President Roosevelt
and to the domination of the con-
vention's choice by the President
is strong among some of the Dem
ocratic leaders in those States. The
Georges, the Byrds and Glasses, the
Baileys and the Smiths, not to mem
ton the followers of Cactus Jack"
Garner are to be reckoned with
when 1t comes to picking the dele
cations from these States.
American business, which by and
large has no use for the New Deal
administration of President Roose-
welt, Is by no means satisfied vet
with any of the candidates so far
prominently mentioned for the Re-
publican presidential nomination.
Many businessmen look askance
when the name of Tom Dewey, New
York district attorney, is called up.
No sentiment has crystallized among
them for Senator Vandenberg of
Michigan, though they might be
more inclined to go along with him.
They might like Senator Taft or
Gov. Bricker of Ohio, but are not
convinced that either would make
the strongest candidate or the best
President.
Businessmen Like Willkie.
What some of the businessmen
would like is the selection of presi-
dental candidate who has made a
success in business. If the politicians
would only have the sense. they say,
to name a man like Willkie, for
example, who they contend not only
has shown marked business ability
but has a fair for speech-making
and leadership of the crowd, the
G. o. P. would have the right kind
of candidate. They recall Willkie' S
debate with Robert Jackson, the
present Solicitor General of the
United States and an ardent New
Dealer, and his handling of the
negotiations of his power company
with the T. V. A. They admit, how
ever, that it would be difficult to
build up such candidate to a point
where he could become real factor
in the next Republican National
Convention.
The politicians, on the other hand,
argue that because a man has been
successful in industry does not mean
that he would be a success at the
great game of politics or govern
mental administration. Further
more. they fear that it would be i'm
possible to elect a candidate if he
were man of large means, or so
regarded.
Mr.. DeWey's political activities, de-
layed ever since his defeat, by a
narrow margin, in the New York
gubernatorial race last fall, are ex-
pected to be resumed some time after
Labor Day. 1t seems clear that
Dewey must give the country some
idea of what he stands for in ma
tional and international affairs if
he is to be serious contender for
the presidential nomination, there
isn't too much time left for him to
do so, as it is. In the meantime,
Dewey has been renewing his old
friendships in his native State,
Michigan. and discussing the polit-
ical situation with Republicans from
other Midwest States.