Evening star., 1940-03-22

be a candidate this year for the
presidency or vice presidency. This
fact has been known to the PreSi-
dent, too. Not single word of dis
couragement was uttered by the
President or anybody else in the
cabinet, and Mr.. Farley went ahead
planning his campaign just as would
anybody else who thought he had a
chance to get on the national ticket.
When the Massachusetts, primary
came along, the Postmaster General
again acted independently of any
combination or promise with respect
to the delegation. He went into the
primary feeling that Mr.. Roosevelt
had no intention to run or to avail
himself of the Massachusetts, dele
cations vote.
Under such circumstances, 1t was
inaccurate to say, as it was reported
in Massachusetts, that Mr.. Farley
would not be a candidate If Mr..
Roosevelt wants to run. Hence, it
was essential for the Postmaster
General to clear up any doubts on
that point when he visited Massa-
chusetts, and he did so by declaring
that his name would go before the
convention as candidate.
Feels He Deserves Support
In other words, Mr.. Farley plans
no withdrawal of his own name con-
tingent on the Presidents wishes,
for he has no reason to believe Mr..
Roosevelt would want him to do so.
Mr.. Farley knows. of course, that his
chances of success in the nominat-
ing convention depend to large ex-
tend on what the administration
does, but his feeling is that he de-
serves administration support and
not opposition.
No man has done more for the
Democratic party and its organiza-
ton in a practical way than has
Mr.. Farley. He has host CT
friends from Coast -to-Coast and on
Capitol Hill. Though a believer in
practical politics, nobody can Justly
point an accusing finger at his in
tegrity, for he is recognized as hon.
est ana CONSCIENTIOUS.
1t is most unfortunate, of course,
that published reports Of an inter-
view between the President and a
Southern member of Congress gave
currency to the thought that MIR.
Farley's religion would be a bar to
his candidacy, but happily the
President has repudiated the sug-
gestion attributed to him and it is
safe bet that many Southern
Members of Congress feel that Mr..
Farley's presence on the ticket with
man like Cordell Hull or John
Garner. would not be a barrier to
reelection.
Wouldn't Desert Party.
Mr.. Farley's views on a third
term have not been made public
but his friends insist he has never
for a moment declared that he
would not support the President
should the latter be nominated. MI
Farley is too loyal a party man
for any such desertion. His view,
on the other hand, has been that
the President does not wish to run
and should not be forced to be a
candidate just to satisfy factional
urge.
1t has been said that Mr.. Roose-
welt would never consent to allow
his name to 60 before the conven-
ton If there is to be opposition.
In other words, II the nomination
came on a platter and there was
Justification either in a national or
international emergency for his run
ming again, he would wish to feel
that his party had been unanimous
in the demand. This, for the mo-
ment, at least. seems out of the
question. Mr.. Farley's name will go
before the convention and so will
the name Of Vice President Garner
The leader of the third-term
movement is Secretary Ickes, who
has just returned from a trip tc
California. presumably to straighten
out differences there among Demo
cratic party factions favorable tc
Mr.. Roosevelt. But on top of this
comes the announcement that Vice
President Garner has just formally
entered the California primaries, tc
be held May T.
Would Fight Off Opposition.
The "uninstructed' delegation
method is being used to obtain con.
troll by the third-term folks. The
idea is to get slate of New Dea
delegates and fight off anybody
else's candidacy by insisting that 6
delegation go "uninstructed" Blu
the personnel of these third-tern
delegations would be such that the
moment they found out the Presi.
dent would accept they would swing
to him or, if he decides not to run