Evening star., 1940-05-10

Garner Presi-
Charles G. Rsss. Dental can
didacy, as such. There was never
a chance that the Democratic party
would commit the blunder of offer
ing the country on New Deal plat
form-for that is what the platform
has got to be, in any casa man
who has provided, In himself, a
rallying point for much of the
Democratic opposition to the New
Deal.
But the Garner candidacy, at the
outset, did have a cerain validity as
handy vehicle for the effort to take
the control of the Democratic party
from the New Dealers. Then as the
third-term movement grew, as the
New Dealers behind it were joined
by an ever-increasing number of
politicians with a bread-and-butter
interest in getting the Roosevelt
name at the head of the ticket. the
Garner campaign naturally became
synonymous with the effort to stop
Roosevelt. The collapse of the one
signifies the collapse of the other.
Radical Revision of Thinking.
The failure of the anti-Roosevelt
defenses to stand up against the
blitzkrieg of the third-termers has
compelled a radical revision of in
formed practical thinking about the
Democratic convention. When the
chance appeared good that the
third-term movement would 60 no
fuyther than the wishful thinking
Of little group of New Dealers,
the outlook was that Mr.. Farley.
Mr.. Hull and Mr.. Garner would
go into the convention with sum.
cient strength among them to con-
troll the selection of the ticket. Mr..
Roosevelt was not ignored in this
calculation, but he was relegated to
comparative minor role. The idea
was that the big three" with the
wishes of the President in mind.
but not under their domination,
would get together at an appropri-
ate stage of the proceedings and
pick for the presidential nomination
a middle of the -roader whose Sc
lection would be duly ratified by
the delegates.
Such was the theory year ago.
1t seemed entirely plausible. But
in the months that have intervened
events have changed the picture.
Thanks in large part to the on
coming of the war in Europe, the
third-term bandwagon has gained
an impetus that hardly anybody in
May of 1889 would have dared to
predict. At that time, remember,
it was widely felt that Mr.. Roose-
welt on q suitable occasion would
declare himself out of the race.
There were open feuds, too, among
the Democrats, that were yet to
be CLOSED over by the party truce
in the special embargo-repeal ses.
sion of Congress last autumn. and
by the subsequent omission Of the
President. at the start of the pres
ent session, to recommend anything
in the way of provocative legisla-
ton AS the election has approached
there has been a gradual drawing
together of the factions. Now as
always, the great majority Of the
politicians Of both parties find 1t
possible to rise above principle in
the interest of party success at the
polls.
Third Term Effort Aided.
All that Mr.. Roosevelt has done or
left undone in the last year Is ex-
plainable, it Is true, in terms Of
general wish for Democratic success
in November, whoever may be the
nominee, but it is equally true that
his whole course has aided the
third-term effort. Without his pas
sive acquiescence in the maneuver.
ings of the thfrd-termers, the
conspicuous result Of which has
been to give him his impressive
victories over the Garnerites, 1t is
inconceivable that the movement
in his behalf could have reached
its present proportions.
There is only one man who stands
effectively in the way of his again
running for President on the Demo-
cratic ticket, and that is Mr.. Roose-
welt himself. Events have conspired
with his own political sagacity,
whatever the end to which it may
have been directed, to produce this
strange result.
In the face of what may seem per-
suasive evidence to the contrary, the
prediction is again ventured In this
space that Mr.. Roosevelt will not
take the nomination. A clue to one
Of the considerations which will
weigh with the President may be
found in the current fight In Con-
gress over his proposal to shift the
control over civil aviation back to
the Commerce Department. This Is
no issue of overwhelming import
ance in itself, but 1t illustrates what
Mr.. Roosevelt Is now up against In
Congress and what he will be up
against for four years If he is re-
elected. He has lost on the aviation
issue In the House. II he wins out
in the end. through Senate support.
his victory will be the same sort rs
that Of Chamberlain in the House
OF Commons last Wednesday-a
shallow victory.
Mr.. Roosevelt would be certAin
to have on his hands through an
other term . recalcitrant Congress.
He could hope only to consolidate
his gains, not to extend them. Con-
solidAtion Of gains Is important, but
1t is not exciting-not the sort Of
thing to appeal to one Of Mr.. Roose-
vets temperament. He would run
the risk Of going out at the end
Of four years with his prestige In
history gravely diminished. Only
some war : created consideration
viewed by him as being Of tran
scendent importance can outweigh
In his mind the domestic prospect
Of four sterile and perhaps en-
bittered years.
Every man in the Swiss Army Is
being examined and the number Of