Evening star., 1939-07-12
Appointment Held
Aiding McNutt's
Chances in 1910
Conservative Democrat
Labels Him os O. K.
To Anti-New Dealers
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
President Roosevelts insistence
that administrative ability instead
of politics dictated selection of Paul
V. McNutt to head the Federal Sc
curity Agency failed to stop talk in
political circles today that the ap-
pointment had increased the former
Indiana Governors chances for the
Democratic presidential nomination.
Senator Minton, Democrat, of In.
diana, New Deal supporter, declared
after the President had discussed
the background" of the appoint
ment at a press conference:
Il think McNutt will do job that
will be so satisfactory the Democrats
won't want any one else"
A highly placed Democratic Sem
ator Of the "old-line" school, who
asked not to be quoted by name, said
he thought Mr.. McNutt would be
satisfactory to the anti-Roosevelt
Democrats"
Mr.. McNutt has said he would
withdraw if Mr.. Roosevelt runs
again, but added that he saw no rea-
son for calling off friends working
for his nomination.
Quick Confirmation Seen.
His appointment to the $4,000
security job-he is now getting $l8,-
600 as high commissioner to the
Philippines, was on the Senate cal
endar today, with administration
leaders predicting quick conflrma-
ton.
Acting with unusual speed, Chair
man Harrison of the Senate Finance
Committee polled the committee yes
terday, few hours after the NOM
inaiton had been received from the
White House. He found members
unanimous in approving it.
Meanwhile politicians debated
whether the President, in naming
Mr.. McNutt to a position with su-
pervision over thousands of Fed
eral employees in every State and
millions of dollars in appropria-
tons and grants, had given him a
free hand to campaign for the pres
idential nomination on the side.
The President told reporters yes
terday there was no mention of Mr..
McNutt's candidacy at the confer
ences at which the appointment was
offered and accepted
He added that he did not believe
Mr.. McNutt would be found run
pjpu for Droci5apt opy y,,oro fbo,
10 or IS others-including some
cabinet members-who have been
mentioned. What their friends do
is something else, he said.
Opportunity for Speeches.
Friends of the Indianan, on the
other hand, contended Mr.. McNutt
accepted only after Mr.. Roosevelt
advised him he would have no OBJ
lection to his continuing to cam
paign for the presidential nomina-
ton. They said Mr.. McNutt has ex-
tensive travel plans as adminis-
traitor, covering many States and
affording an opportunity for many
speeches and political contacts.
Some politicians said they un-
derstood Mr.. McNutts friends al
ready were making soundings in
Ohio.
Evidently anticipating questions,
Mr.. Roosevelt readily agreed to talk
about the appointment at his press
conference yesterday.
He advised reporters against get
ting out on limb in interpreting it
and said that while it might sound
strange to some, there sometimes
were other considerations than poll
tics in making appointments.
1t was absolutely true, he said,
that he had chosen Mr.. McNutt be-
cause of the administrative ability he
had shown as Indiana Law School
dean, Governor of Indiana and High
Commissioner to the Philippines He
added that he expected him to make
good on his new assignment.
Executive Explains.
The President said it was interest
ing that when an average business
man was brought into a Federal po-
sition, the chances of failure were
greater than those of some one who
entered the Government service
with some experience in public life.
just before the interview ended,
an Indiana reporter asked if the
press was to assume that the 10 or
IS potential presidential candidates
whom Mr.. Roosevelt mentioned
without naming are to be privileged
to go ahead with their campaigns"
That was just the opposite from
what he had been contending,r the
Chief Executive replied. He added
with a smile that the dozen charm
ing young men were not going ahead.
but what their friends would do he
did not know. He said the principals
could not control what their friends