Evening star., 1940-01-08
jackson Day Address
By President Expected
To Be Non-Partisan
Dinners in Other Cities
Watched for New Deal
Political Message
Ry the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
Although President Roosevelt's
address at the $100-a-plate jackson
Day dinner here tonight is expected
to be non-partisan, Democratic
gatherings in other cities may hear
political oratory keynoting the
party's 1910 campaign.
The general Washington opinion
is that the President will limit his
theme to the need for national unity
in facing foreign crises, leaving to
administration lieutenants-such as
Robert H. Jackson, Attorney Gen
ral-designate-any political mes
sage from the New Deal.
Mr.. Jackson will speak at Cleve-
land. while Secretary Wallace will
talk at Des Moines and Paul V. Nc
Mutt, Federal security administrator,
at Raleigh, N. c.
Dinners will be held in Al States,
with anticipated profits of 100000
going to the Democratic campaign
fund and to the party deficit OF
S2l9.OOO. Only in the Capital, how
ever, will the guests pay $lOO Tor a
IS banquet.
Non-Partisan Talk Good Bet"
A few party leaders had felt that
Mr.. Roosevelt might follow Gus
tom at these Democratic rallies IN
honor of Andrew jackson and make
a straight from the shoulder polltl-
cal talk, especially since this is an
election wear. Lending strength to
this belief was the fact that Repub-
lican leaders had spurned invitations
to the affair, though assured poll<
tics was not on the agenda.
But four authoritative sources-all
identified more or less directly with
the banquet-said it was g va
bet" that the President would ad-
here to the promise given the Re-
publicans and avoid throwing any
verbal brick bats at them or Demo-
cratic Conservative "Tweedledums'
as he did last January.
Should he pitch the address along
international lines, as he did in his
annual message to Congress, it will
be the first non-partisan speech he
has made at a Jackson Day dinner
during his administration.
At one time, some politicians
thought he might use tonight'S oc-
casion to disclose his third-term
views. This belief gave way to doubt
as the dinner hour approached.
To Speak at 10 O'Clock.
The President will begin speaking
at 10 pm, with. his remarks broad
cast by N B. c., c. B. S. and M. B.
s. hookups,
The dinner hour is set for $50
pm. The speaking program is ex-
pected to start about $50 pm.
Lawrence Wood Robert. jr, secre-
tarv of the Democratic National
Committee. will introduce outstand-
ing members of the party seated at
the head table, including Vice Presi-
dent Garner. He will then present
Homer S. Cummings, former Attor-
ney General and chairman of the
Dinner Committee.
The introduction of President
Roosevelt will be made by Chairman
James A. Farley of the National
Committee. =
Speaker William B. Bankhead will
deliver the concluding address.
Between 1000 and l,l50 guests are
expected at the dinner at the May
flower Hotel. Melvin D. Hildreth,
the treasurer, said each of them, in
Guiding the party officers and the
dinner chairman, former Attorney
General Cummings, would lay S100
on the barrel head.
In New York the dinner charge
will be $50; elsewhere it will be $25
or less.
The banquets this year, Mr.. Hill
dreth pointed out, may be the last
jackson Day dinners for some time
If the Democrats win the November
election, he said, next years affair
will be victory dinner" and prob
ably will be held on March f. as it
was in 1897 after Mr.. Roosevelts re-
election.
A 1910 Republican victory would
cancel the dinners as an annual
custom. Jackson Day dinners dur
Ing Republican administrations have
been held at irregular intervals.