Evening star., 1939-04-05
Hopkins Moving
To Iowa Arouses
Political Speculation
Cabinet Member Denies
Any Bearing, but Porty
Official Pays Visit
BY the Associated Press.

Official Pays Visit
BY the Associated Press.
WARM SPRINGS, Ga, April S.
Secretary of Commerce Harry l..
Hopkins announcement here that
he intended shortly to establish a
voting residence in his boyhood home
of Grinnell, Iowa. had Warm Springs
flooded today with inquiries from the
politically minded in Washington
and elsewhere.
The fact that Mr.. Hopkins is here
as a house guest of President Roose-
welt and has been mentioned fire.
quently as the Chief Executives first
choice for the Democratic presiden-
tial nomination in 1910 focused un-
usual attention on the Commerce
Secretary's decision to move from
New York State to Iowa.
Mr.. Hopkins, in confirming re-
ports which originated from "close
friends in Grinnell, denied fatty
that politics had any bearing on the
situation. He said he felt it his duty
to his motherless 7-year-old daugh-
ter Diane to afford her a permanent
home and could think of none better
than the State of his birth.
This explanation failed to satisfy
those who queried today by tele-
phone and telegraph. There was a
demand upon neWspapermen at
Warm Springs to get further COM
ment from Mr.. Hopkins. He kept
himself available temporarily after
the original confirmation.
Party Official Calls.
He denied rumors he was about to
resign his Commerce post because
of i'll health. He came South with
the President to recuperate from an
attack of intestinal influenza, but
had no recurrence of the stomach
ulcers which required surgical treat
ment in Rochester, Mimi, some
months ago.
In speculating on the possible po-
litical motive in the change in resi-
dence, observers recalled that
shortly before Mr.. Roosevelt came
to Warm Springs for his Easter
holiday, Edward Birmingham.
Democratic State chairman for
Iowa. called at the White House.
Mr.. Birmingham insisted the call
was social and for the purpose Of
talking over old times"
1t also was recalled that in the
1888 primary purge" effort, Mr..
Hopkins announced that were he
still voter in Iowa he would cast
his ballot for Representative Otha D.
Wearin for the Democratic Sena-
torial nomination, but Senator Guy
M. Gillette. the incumbent, won.
It has been generally accepted, in
Washington that Mr.. Hopkins is one
of the Presidents most intimate
friends and political advisers.
Enigmatic Silence.
But an enigmatic silence prevailed
around "the little White House"
atop Pine Mountain today concern
ing political implications of Mr..
Hopkins decision to return to the
soil in which he rooted. All those
around the temporary executive Of
fees fell back on the Secretary's in
sistence that his young daughter
had had no real home since her
mother died several years ago and
he felt it fitting she be provided a
permanent one in Iowa.
Mr.. Hopkins was born in Sioux
City and moved with his family to
Grinnell in his early boyhood. He
graduated from Grinnell College.
He migrated East as a young man
and took up social work in New
York State.
Democratic party politicians have
argued Mr.. Hopkins could not
swing the New York delegation to
the 1910 convention should he be
disposed to run. Observers here
wondered whether his return to
Iowa was a move to get an earlier
foothold in the convention. It was
noted that Mr.. Hopkins selected
Iowa as the locale of his maiden
speech as Secretary of Commerce
a speech which unfolded his attitude
toward business generally and en-
phasized the administration was
moving away from reform to con-
centrate entirely on recovery meas
ures.
President Roosevelt roamed the
red clay roads of the Warm Springs
Foundation again today in search
of relaxation. His only announced
official act was issuance of a proc
lamation declaring May l to be
Child Health Day"
The temporary White House
switchboard, however, kept him in
constant touch with Washington
and European capitals as the deli
cate international situation de-
veloped. Mr.. Roosevelt told news
papermen that most of his atten-
ton since reaching Georgia March
80 had been devoted to following
developments abroad.
Domestically, the President had
launched a movement-with support
of leaders of both parties, he said
to discourage the congressional
practice of tacking irrelevant mat
ters onto important legislation in
the form of riders"
The Chief Executive took specific
o