Evening star., 1940-02-03
The Political Mill
Democratic Leaders to Make Much Ado
Over Administrations Seventeen Record

ent they are playing the Roosevelt
draft game to the queens taste.
The entering Of Roosevelt dele
gates in State primaries, and the
Presidents name on the ballot IN
those States, may come to be re-
garded by the general public, how
ever, as proof that the President
is a candidate-unless he take some
step to halt these proceedings.
Nothing yet has come from the
White House to discourage the
drafters.
Here and there, evidence crops up
to prove that the third-term prop
osition is not going to be swallowed
whole by the Democratic party Take
the situation in Georgia, for ex-
ample. Edgar B. Dunlap, who was
campaign manager for Senator
George in 1888, when President
Roosevelt attempted to purge" the
Senator, is advocating a presiden-
tial preference primary in Georgia.
He has conferred with Vice Presi-
dent John N. Garner. He and
Senator George urged Mr.. Garner
to give consent for the use Of his
name in the State primary, and Mr..
Garner has consented, II there is
primary.
The New Dealers don't like the
idea Of a presidential preference
primary in Georgia, according to
reports. Under the Georgia law, a
preferential primary is held upon
call OF the State Executive Com
mittee. The candidates nominated
as the choice Of the parties in the
State then have the privilege OF
naming the delegates to the national
conventions. However, the calling
Of a preferential primary Is dis
cretionary with the Executive Com
mittee. If 1t fails to order such an
election, the selection OF the dele
gates is made by the Executive Com
mittee.
Compromise Plan Offered.
Senator Russell Of Georgia has
come forward with a compromise
proposal. He suggests that pri-
mary be held for the election OF
delegates, but without mandatory
instructions for presidential can
didate. Or barring that, county
conventions for the selection of
delegates to a State convention,
which would choose the delegates
to the national convention. He is
opposed to letting the State Execu-
tive Committee make the choice of
delegates to the national conven-
ton on the ground that 1t would
disfranchise the Democratic voters
Of Georgia
Senator Russell pointed out that
four Southern Democrats, Secretary
OF State Hull of Tennessee, Vice
President Garner Of Texas, Senator
Byrnes of South Carolina and
Speaker Bankhead Of Alabama. were
prospective or avowed candidates for
the presidential nomination. If a
preference primary were held and
the Georgia delegation bound to one
OF them and unable to shift to
another the result might be to pre-
vent the nomination of any of these
Southerners. He insisted that it is
high time that the Democratic
presidential nomination 60 to the
South. which has been steadfast In
its democracy.
Republican politics are stirring in
New York today. In Albany the
Republican State Committee, 300 In
number, Is meeting to select eight
delegates at large to the Republican
National Convention. The IS dis
trict delegates will be elected at
primary April 2. 1t is expected of
the eight delegates at large named
by the committee that most Of them
will be favorable to Candidate
Thomas E. Dewey. Others may sup
port Publisher Frank Gannett, who
is making campaign speech at
luncheon of the National Repub-
lican Club in New York CITY.