Glacier County chief., 1940-07-19
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Washington, D. c.
SPHINX ROOSEVELT

SPHINX ROOSEVELT
Franklin Roosevelt will go down
in history as the greatest keeper of
a secret in American politics.
For more than two years scores of
friends, Democratic leaders, news
men and others tried their hand at
worming from him some hint on the
third term question. None succeed
ed until the Democratic convention
was only a week away-and this
one, Jim Farley, in turn sealed his
own lips.
Except for Farley, there wasn't
person on earth who could say he
had heard from Roosevelt himself
what he planned to do.
There were many to whom he said
that he did not want to run. There
were some to whom he voiced
preference for Secretary of State
Corden Hull as his successor. But
there was no one, including men,
bers of his family, to whom the
President gave the slightest clue
whether he would run again.
Illustrative of the complete mys-
terry even within the inner council
was the fact that Secretary Morgen-
thau did not believe the President
would be a candidate, while Secre-
tary Hopkins was confident that he
would. Both had to admit that
Roosevelt had said nothing and that
their opinions were based wholly on
deductions"
Last week Sen. Sherman Minton,
New Deal whip, and State Chair
man Bays Of Indiana, tried to pene-
trate the silence. Both are men,
bers of the Hoosier convention dele
cation and strong third-termers. As
they were leaving after a White
House call they said: 1--WE hope
we'll have the privilege, Mr.. Presi-
dent, of voting for you at Chicago"
Roosevelt smiled broadly and re-
piled, "I'm sure we'll have a ticket
that will VIM
Possibly the secret of how Roose-
welt kept his secret so well and so
long was that he didn't know him.
self what he was going to do.
Significant was remark he made
to a Midwesterner following the
nomination of Wendell Willkie. The
visitor expressed the view that WILL
kie's candidacy made it necessary
for the President to run again.
"There isn't anyone who can lick
him but you, Mr.. President" the
caller said. 81 think what happened
in Philadelphia makes it imperative
that you run. I am sure you don't
want to; no man who has undergone
the ordeal you have for eight years
would want any more of it. But it's
not a case any more Of your pref
erence. In my opinion, the choice
is no longer yours"
The President paused as if think
ing, then said quietly, as if to him
self, "This decision will be the most
momentous in my life"
FOREIGN AFFAIRS PLANK
For the Democratic platform
makers, like the Republicans, the
biggest headache was the foreign af-
fairs plank.
The same bellicose forces, isola-
zionist and anti, which made life
miserable for the Philadelphia plat
form writers, gave the deep blues
to the Democrats. In fact, the rival
camps among the Democrats were
even more troublesome.
The Republicans, while they
,~,,NLl11l fHap,ca1xyoc
behind closed doors, were too con-
scious of party interest to kick up
an open ruckus. On the final show
down, the boys worked out a COM
promise that gave each side sop.
The result was rather ambiguous,
but it left the door open for the Re-
publican candidate to move which
ever way he wanted.
But the prima donna Democratic
factions were insisting on the whole
hog or nothing. Senator Burt Wheel
er, backed by the glowering John
L. Lewis, is demanding an unequiv.
ocal, iSolationiSt, no-war declara-
ton; and threatens to head a third
party ticket if he doesn't get his
way.
Anti-isolationists, foremost among
them Roosevelt himself, are fatty
against such a plank. At the same
time, they were acutely aware Of
the powerful peace" sentiment ir
the country and they know they've
got to watch their step.
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| CONVENTION NOTES
The Chicago convention literally
dripped with vice presidential can
didates. With more than a score
already in the field, Iowa's genial
bald-domed Senator Herring tosset