Evening star., 1940-03-18

ley and Mr.. Tobin, and probably
other candidates for the national
committee post, grows out OF the
illness of the present committeeman,
Joseph McGrath, chairman of the
State committee, who also Is col
lector of the Port of Boston. He
has resigned, but the national COM
mittee has not yet acted on his
resignation. Mr.. Tobin is reported
to be preparing to put in delega-
ton to buck the Farley slate.
William H. Burke, jr, a Hatfield
onion farmer, young, ambitious and
adroit, who was brought forward by
Mr.. Curley. is now chairman of the
State committee and arranging for
the delegation to the national con-
vention. He is supported by con-
siderable Curley influence. The
Democratic leaders prefer to have
the delegation unpledged-and what
is true of Massachusetts, in this re-
gard is true for the other New Eng
land States-but they are reconciled
to the thought of having the dele
gates pledged to Mr.. Farley for
trading purposes. All of this seems
to indicate that if Mr.. Roosevelt
wants the nomination he is prettJ
certain to have it, in so far as New
England is concerned.
Mr.. Farley is to be the principal
speaker at the conference on the
Maine State committee and delegates
on March 81, at which time an effort
Will be made to pledge the delega-
tion for him, although the party
leaders in Maine are seeking to send
an unpledged delegation.
"Sniping" in Some Districts.
While there is a conflict over the
"at large" delegates, there is no
effort by the State committee to
dictate OF dominate the selection of
delegates in each of the IS Congress
slonal districts. Mr.. Curley, how
ever, has been especially active in
the 11th or Middlesex County dis
trict, represented by Representative
Thomas A. Flaherty. There has been
"sniping' in some of the districts,
but not against Mr.. Farley. Some
OF the districts will send six delegates
with fractional votes instead of two.
A Massachusetts, publisher told
me that "the delegation is sincerely
Tor Farley-as most of them were
for Al Smith. The State is full
of Smith men who have never re-
celved much from Washington. They
are of the opinion that Roosevelt
is seeking in quiet way to get
control of the convention and de-
sires third term. They don't want
to get caught out on the limb again."
The State chairman said the dele
gates would be for Mr.. Farley and
pledged, but for Mr.. Roosevelt for
a third term. The implication has
been given that Mr.. Farley is a
stalking horse for Mr.. Roosevelt.
The Postmaster General has denied
this, has claimed he had no part
IN the third term movement, and
considers it scheme on the part
OF the Corcoran group to discredit
him.
Ambassador Kennedy also is a
factor in the Massachusetts pre-
convention jockeying. He himself
never took an active part in politics
until recent years, but his father,
Pat" Kennedy, founder of the Co.
lumbla Trust Co., was one of the
Big -Four" in the old days. Mr..
Kennedy wanted the Massachusetts
delegation pledged to him, but after
conference with the President he
withdrew. He also was put forward
to head the delegation pledged to
Mr.. Farley, but it was pointed out
that he could be neither a favorite
son nor a delegate because he is no
longer resident of Massachusetts,
but, OF Bronxville, N. Y. Neither
can his son be a delegate or alter
nate Sirco he &c mt ,,o,i,o III, ox-.,