The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1940-07-17

1lQG1AL U1ldU VIC WOAoU Woo =
They were sure the vice presi-
Dental election would be easy.
They were mistaken. When the
private pow-wowing began the
leaders discovered themselves to
be widely apart. Roosevelt's per-
sonal choice was young, tousle-
haired Justice Bill Douglas. But
Jim Farley and the conservatives
wanted either Corden Hull or
Senator Jimmy Byrnes.
Roosevelt did not oppose Hull
or Byrnes. Also, significantly, he
made no attempt to lay down the
law on whom he wanted. AS put
up to the leaders, the choice boiled
down to these basic alternatives:
/. Whether the selection should
be decided primarily on vote-get-
ting ability in this admittedly
tough campaign; or ~ on fitness
for the presidency.
The debate ragged behind the
scenes for three days In WASH
ington, and then was carried to
Chicago by Harry Hopkins, the
Presidents personal emissary.
When Hopkins left the Capital
the field had been narrowed
down 10 six possibilities: Doug
las, Hull, Byrnes, Speaker
Bankhead, Secretary Wallace,
Governor Stark of Missouri.
Eliminated on various counts
were Vice President Jack Garner
(who was neither consulted nor
directly informed about what was
going on throughout the secret
pre-convention conferring); Sena-
tor Burt Wheeler, personally OBJ
jectionable to Roosevelt; Attorney
General Bob jackson, because he
also comes from New York; Jim
Farley, for the same reason; Paul
McNutt; Senate Leader Alben
Barley; House Leader Sam Ray
burn; and a number Of lesser
lightning-rod hopefuls.
RELUCTANT CANDIDATES
Two of the possibilities definitely
do not want the nomination-Hull
and Douglas. It will take a per-
sonal plea from Roosevelt to per-
suade them to run, and he'll have
to do some tall talking. Both
have stated categorically they
want to be left alone.
Hull even has gone to the length
of sending q personal emissary to
Chicago to give emphasis to his
disclaimers. The secret emissary
is Albert Gore, young congress-
man from Carthage, Tenn, who
holds the seat filled for many
years in the House. Gore Is not
a delegate and did not intend to
go to the convention until Hull
asked him to do so last Wednes-
day.
He summoned Gore to the State
Department, told him that he did
not want the vice presidency and
was determined to retire to private
life after he stepped out OF the
Cabinet. He also gave Gore GER
tain personal reasons, which the
young congressman told his wife
were so private he could not re-
peat them to her.
II have only one desire, Al
BERT" Hull declared with deep
feeling, as he paced back and
forth, "and that is to spend the
rest Of my life as a private citi-
zen promoting peace among the
peoples of the world. I don't want
to stay in politics any longer. 1
don't want TO run for anything,
not even for President. want to
work as a private citizen for
peace and goodwill among men.
Humanity needs that so desper-
ately."
MOTEL Douglas is nominated
the news will come to him at his
old home in Washington State
where he Is mentioning with his
wife and two children.
THIRD-TERMER ICKEs
The man who can claim credit
for being the first to propose Q
third term, and for constantly
gouging and pushing the Presi'
dent into running. Is his hell-and'
high-water Secretary Of the In
terror. Harold Ickes.
Ickes first proposed that Rcose.
welt run again In . radio broad.
cast on July IS. 1888. At his next
press conference. lckes faced {
barrage Of questions. ~Was thai