Evening star., 1940-05-20
Republican Leaders
RidicuIe Talk Of
Coalition Cabinet
New Deal Propaganda
Charged by McNory;
No White House Comment
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

ton" government would be formed
here with Republicans becoming
members Of President Roosevelt's
cabinet.
The New York Times declared
this morning that Mr.. Roosevelt
Is considering seriously the ap-
pointment of several leading Repub-
licans to his official family. Named
specifically were Col. Frank Knox of
Chicago for the Secretaryship of the
Navy and ALT M. Landon of Kansas
for Secretary of War.
TITS purely New Deal propagan-
da," said Senator McNary of Ore
gon, Republican leader of the Sem
ate. Representative Martin OF
Massachusetts,, Republican leader of
the House. expressed similar opin-
ion.
The White House declined COM
ment on the coalition" reports,
Secretary Stephen T. Early telling
reporters he knew nothing about
such rumors.
McNary Doubts Acceptance.
Senator McNary said that unless
Col. Knox, newspaper publisher and
Republican vice presidential candi-
date in 1896, has changed his mind
in the last few days" he did not
expect Col. Knox to accept appoint
ment to the Navy post-an Office
which was offered Col. Knox last
December and declined by him at
that time. The rumor now is that
Col. Knox has again been ap-
preached by President Roosevelt to
take this cabinet post, which is due
to be vacant when Secretary Edison
resigns, after the New Jersey
primary tomorrow, to run for Gov
ernor of that State.
Mr.. Martin said
Il see that former Gov. Landon
Of Kansas has rejected the idea of
a coalition Government in any
form, according to dispatches from
Topeka. 1t is what l would expect
Of him.
1T would be extremely unfortu-
nate if We developed into a one
party Government in this country.
THE present proposal for such a
coalition Government, with Repub-
lican members of the Presidents s
cabinet, is being put forward by the
New Dealers to eliminate, if possible,
the third-term issue which will
arise if President Roosevelt Is re-
nominated. They have seized upon
moment of hysteria in this country
to advance the plan.
The plan will not succeed. When
the people commence to think and
to understand what such proposal
means, they can be depended upon
to give an American judgment.
I'VE are not engaged in a war, and
the President says we are not going
to be
Mr.. Martin also declared there
would be postponemept of the Re-
publican National Convention, set
for June "a in Philadelphia. Col
Knox Is reported to have made
such suggestion-but to have re-
ceived a cold shoulder from other
RepuDIlcan leaders.
Mr.. Martin said he did not know
what Col. Knox would do about the
reported cabinet offer, but added
he supposed he would decline.
Chairman John Hamilton of the
Republican National Committee was
equally emphatic in his criticism oi
any coalition" government pro-
posals. He regarded it, he said. as
an effort of the New Dealers tc
draw a red herring across the path
Postponement Opposed.
Mr.. Hamilton said he had polled
Republican congressional leaders
|. and found them all opposed to any
postponement of the date of the
Republican National Convention.
Former President Hoover, it was
learned today, is also strongly op-
posed to coalition" government
1t was recalled, too, that in the last
weeks of Mr.. Hoover's administra-
ton, when the banks were goir., to
the wall. President Roosevelt, then
President-elect. declined to join
with Mr.. Hoover in any move to
remedy the situation.
Both Mr.. Landon and Col. Knox
are expected to be delegates to the
Republican Convention. How, II
was asked, could they vote for the
nomination and election of a Re-
publican President. if they were
members Of President Roosevelt's
cabinet and be loyal to Mr.. Roose-
welt, their chief?
Furthermore, if Mr.. Landon and
Col. Knox, Republicans, were placed