Evening star., 1940-03-25

man mas added an intensely inter.
esting angle to political situation
already made unique by the third
term puzzle. For If the President
doesn't run again and if, as now
seems probable, he is compelled to
compromise on the selection of the
presidential candidate, then he will
seek to back up the standard-bearer
with some one confirmed in the New
Deal faith. What, in this case-
always assuming that Mr.. Farley is
out of the picture SO far as the
presidential nomination is con-
cerned-will happen to Mr.. Farley,
the man to whom, as the Presi.
dent said IN a recent press con-
ference, he owes more politically
than to any other living person?
Will Mr.. Farley receive or be denied
the blessing Of the President? And
If so blessed, how far will the Presi-
dent 90 In his behalf?
Too Many Ifs Involved.
1t would be foolish to prophesy
on these points. Too many prior
IFS" are involved, too many impon-
derables. I want only to suggest
that among the remarkable fea-
lures of this years campaign, on
the Democratic side, Is the new i'm
portance being attached to the vice
presidential nomination. 1t may
we'll be that in the Democratic con-
vention. under the conditions out
lined above, the really significant
fight, the one that will determine
the nature of the contest to be
waged by the Democrats against
the Republicans, will center around
the second and not the first place
on the ticket.
The oddities which have grown
out Of the new alignments in pol
tics are nowhere better illustrated
than In this prospective battle over
the Democratic second place.
Picked In Casual Fashion.
In both parties it has been the
practice to pick the No. man in
the most casual fashion. Mr..
Roosevelt, for example, was so
picked to run with Cox in 1920: he
was an up and coming young pol
itic1an, he had made a good i'm
preston on the convention and he
happened to meet the geographical
test. Nobody gave any particular
thought to his views.
Conventions generally, both Dem
ocratic and Republican. have been
willing enough to take anybody
slated by the party leaders and 60
home. The classic instance Of a
convention getting out OF hand oc-
CURED at the Republican gathering
in 1920. Everything was set for the
nomination Of Lenroot when a dele
gate in far corner of the hall got
up and proposed the hero, or so
he was called. of the Boston police
strickland the result was the presi-
dency of Calvin Coolidge.
Two Sets Of Leaders.
This year, among the Democrats,
there are definitely two sets of lead
ers to be considered, the New Deal
ers and the conservatives, and the
vice presidential nomination is bulk.
ing large in the calculations on both
sides. Both factions are thinking in
terms not primarily of geography
though this is a factor that stin
must be taken into account-but of
the attitude of the various available
men toward the New Deal.
In the White House conversations
through which he has suggested
Tor whatever reaSon-that Cordell
Hull was man worthy of being con-
sldered by the Democrats for the
presidential nomination, Mr.. Roose-
welt has added that Hull, if chosen,
should be given some young vigor-
GUS man for running mate-some-
body like Attorney General jackson.
President Wants Jackson.
1t all boils down to this: That Mr..
Roosevelt would prefer a ticket
headed by Mr.. jackson; that if he
can't get his wish, he would approve
a Hull-Jackson ticket.
Mr.. Farley clearly has other ideas.
If he can't get the presidential
nomination for himself, he would
like nothing better than a Hull
Farley ticket. Mr.. Farley has long
held the warmest admiration for the
Secretary OF State. In his book,
Behind the Ballots" he said that
Mr.. Hull was the most unselfish man
he had ever met in politics, adding
that he was capable of filling any
position, including the presidency,
with distinction"
II, then, Mr.. Roosevelt and Mr..
Farley shall come to see eye to eye
with respect to Mr.. Hull. this will
not necessarily mean that the old
time complete harmony between
them has been restored. There is
the question of the vice presidential
nomination to be settled, and that
is question with disruptive possibil-
tiles, both in politics and in personal
relations.