Evening star., 1939-12-18
Mr.. Gurner Grabs the Ball

Scrlbed, but much more is needed.
Mr.. Garner Grabs the Boil
Vice President Garner's formal
announcement that he Is an uncon-
ditional candidate for the Democratic
presidential nomination creates a
situation that the Roosevelt third
termers henceforth will have to face.
IT Mr.. Garner stands his ground
and who believes that he will not
a Roosevelt denomination cannot be
obtained without a fight in the
Democratic National Convention.
Up to the present time various New
Deal "possibilities" have been trotted
out-and all of them have faced
opposition which apparently has
dimmed their chances. This has boil
stored the hopes of the New Dealers
that in the end the President will be
compelled-as the sole hope of the
New Deal-to become a candidate.
The latest attempt to head of a
promising Democratic candidate for
the presidential nomination was
made by Secretary of the Interior
1ckes, one Of the most vociferous Of
the third termers. Mr.. Ickes de-
clared that the liberals" would never
vote for Federal Security Admins
traitor Paul v. McNutt.
The McNutt candidacy has been
predicated on the idea that the Presi-
dent would not himself be a candi-
date-and Mr. McNutt has said he
would not run if the Presidents hat
was tossed in the ring. But Mr.. Gar
ner's candidacy is different thing.
The Vice President is in the fight to
win, if he can, whether the President
seeks third term or not.
The Garner candidacy Immediately
becomes rallying post for the anti
third-term Democrats. Here is some
thing tangible that they can tie to.
The anti-third-term Democrats are
numerous. They are In strategic po-
sitions in many of the States. They
will have a great deal to say about
the selection of delegates to the
Democratic National Convention
which next year must pick the party
nominee.
It is an ancient political maxim
that you cannot beat somebody with
nobody. If the New Dealers-the
third termers or those who are de-
termined that the President shall at
least have the naming of the Demo-
cratic standard bearer-are going to
defeat Mr.. Garner for the nomina-
ton, they must put some candidate
in the race who will fight for delega-
tions to the national convention.
They have been hoping for "unin-
structed" delegations, on the theory
that a large group OF such delegates
can be swung the way the President
desires when the proper time comes.
But MIR. Garner-and in this respect
also Mr.. McNutt-is not going to pass
up opportunities to have instructed
delegations named.
Either President Roosevelt will
have to go out and fight for delegates
or he will have to back a candidate
fighting for them, or else they will
be gobbled up in a good many in
stances by the groups working for
Mr.. Garner, Mr.. McNutt or Senator
Wheeler of Montana.
The President has not declared
himself for or against either Mr..
Garner or Mr.. McNutt. Nor has he
given any clear indication that he
will himself be a candidate for a
third term. In many quarters it has
been sincerely believed that he will
not permit his name to go before
the convention for a third term NOM
ination.
But Mr.. Garner is now forcing the
fighting. His announcement may
help to clear the atmosphere. A
Garner-for- President Committee has
been working for the past six months
or more. It will become more active
now than ever. And 1t is entirely
possible that the Garner announce
ment will stir other candidates, who
have kept more or less under cover,
waiting to learn what the President
has in mind, to come forward as
avowed candidates for the nomina-
tinn