Evening star., 1940-01-06

retary of State David Lawrence.
has been picked by the administra-
ton to be the standard-bearer.
The same point of view in the
New Deal which is willing to con-
cede that this year a conservative
like Mr.. Hull would be good vote
getter argues that the new Attorney
General, Robert H. jackson, should
be his running-mate. 1t is here that
the trouble starts.
In the first place, Mr. Jackson is
regarded in many quarters in the
Democratic party as "left-winger"
and as likely to cause many con-
servatives to feel that they would
not wish to risk their votes on a
ticket with any radical on it..
Secondly, the friends of Postmaster
General Farley feel that he is the
logical man for the Vice Presidential
nomination not only as reward for
political service, but because he is
known to be a man of fine spirit,
kindliness and tolerance. If Jim
Farley were ever to become Presi-
dent, there is no doubt that the
businessmen of America would feel
that his liberalism would not 60 to
the point of destroying the system
of private initiative
So, If the conservative elements in
the Democratic party are really to be
appeased, Hull Farley ticket would
do the job, but Hull jackson ticket
would not.
Garner Supporters Dissent.
The supporters of Vice President
Garner, on the other hand. have by
no means accepted the idea of
Secretary Hull's candidacy. For rea-
sons of their own, they feel that
the Vice President is the best vote
getter of all and that his personality
and disposition is what the country
needs, now that it has had so many
years of polemics and bitterness of
class friction.
The jackson Day dinner will be
q harmony feast. The President will
inject no note of discord that might
stir up animosities within the party.
The occasion may furnish an oppor-
tunity for the advancement of Jim
Farley's political fortune, for he is
personally very popular with the
folks who will be at the dinner, most
Of whom are jobholders.
Mr.. Roosevelt is reported to be
anxious to give the impression that
even such an affair as the Jackson
Day dinner is not truly partisan
event, and this was one reason why
a gesture was made toward bringing
the Republican leaders to the Ban
quet Board. That they declined to
accept the courteous invitation ex-
tended to them is doubtless appre-
ciated by the Democratic hosts, who
might have been bit uncomfortable
In the presence of their critics. But
the invitation idea served its pur-
pose and fits in with the President S
effort to maintain the atmosphere of
-partisanship in a background of
war The popularity of the Presi-
dent arose when he adopted this
attitude last autumn, and undoubt-
edly the Democrats gain when they
can persuade their Republican
brethren to go easy on the campaign
attacks.
Vice President Garner and Paul
McNutt. as we'll as Senator Wheeler,
will be at the feast, too, so any CEN
tering of attention on particular
candidates will be more matter of
individual impressions made on re-
spective followers in the audience
than party strategy. The Democratic
National Committee is maintaining
strict neutrality as between the
candidates.
No Keynote Dinner.
Time was when a Jackson day
dinner was the opening function
of a Democratic national campaign.
The event furnished an opportunity
for keynote speeches. With the
presence of President Roosevelt at
the dinners. the spotlight has
turned away from all other per-
sonalities in the party to the man
at the head of the Government
who has been twice elected by over
whelming votes An old-fashioned
Jackson day dinner would have
meant the planning of lengthy
speeches by each of the prominent
contenders for the nomination so
that the party and the country
could distinguish between the
points of view Of the respective
candidates.
One of the difficulties today,
however, for the Democratic lead
ers is that they do not know def
nitely whether Mr.. Roosevelt is
willing to be candidate for a third
term. If by the slightest hint he
had indicated his wish to take a
third nomination, the jackson day
dinner could easily have become a
spectacular stampede on the part
of his colleagues. Mr.. Roosevelt
has lately been giving indications
that he doesn't want to run. The
Office holding group isn't altogether
reconciled to the idea of eliminat-
ing him, and the talk of a Hull
Jackson or a Hull-Farley ticket at
this time may be just shrewd way
of focusing attention on clash
between two elderly conservatives
with the idea that the President
may be trotted out to end the dead
lock when convention time comes
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