The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1940-01-04
(By Staff Writer)

Washington the coIlVell-
ing of the second regular session
of the 10th Congress on January
3. the outstanding political issue
of 1910 began to assume new
shape, as Senators and Represen-
tatives met for the first time
since the neutrality session OF
last fall.
That outstanding issue is the
question whether Mr.. Roosevelt
desires and intends to run for a
third term. Upon the final an
swer, either by the President
himself or by the Democratic ma
tional convention when it meets,
will hinge the fortunes of the ma
tion for the next four years. II
Mr.. Roosevelt were to be reno
minated without contest it is
now the fixed opinion of most ex-
perienced political observers here
that he would be reelected. That
would mean continuation of the
New Deal for another four years.
Up to a few days ago it was the
widespread belief that the de-
cision was entirely up to Mr..
Roosevelt himself and to nobody
else. But since Vice-President
Garner has openly announced his
own candidacy doubts are being
cast upon the validity of that as
sumption. Mr.. Garner is an old,
experienced and decidedly "ca-
gey'' political manipulation. So
long as it was merely his friends
talking about him as candidate
it was possible to infer that he
didn't want the nomination very
seriously enough to risk the wide
open break in the Democratic
party which his active pursuit of
it would almost surely bring
about.
Reasonably Sure of Nomination?
But now that the die is cast,
and Cactus Jack" is going out
in dead earnest after the first
prize, the political sharps are stu
dying the situation from some
new angles.
It does not seem probable to
those who have made the study
of national politics and political
figures their chief concern for
many years that the gentleman
from Texas would make his bid
for the nomination unless he felt
reasonably sure that he could
get it. Under the rules of the
party, adopted in 1886, it no
longer takes a two-thirds ma
jority to nominate, only MAORI
ty of one more than half the
number of delegates, as in the
Republican conventions. And it is
not at all impossible, the stu
dents of Democratic disaffection
with the New Deal think, that
Mr.. Garner may already have up
his sleeve enough assurances
from party leaders who will con-
troll their state delegations to-
give him that one-more-than-
half.
The alternative to such a con-
viction on Mr.. Gamers part, in
the opinion Of the experts, is that
he would prefer a wide-open par
ty split and possibly even a
trump" convention in case Mr..
Roosevelt should be re-nomina-
ted, to the reelection of the Presi-
dent. 1t may sound incredible, but
there are some experienced on
lockers in Washington who be-
lieve that the hatred of the New
Deal by Mr.. Garner and con-
siderable body of Democrats
whom he represents, is So great
that they would prefer to see a
Republican administration for
the next four years. Neither the
President nor the Vice-President
is voicing his personal antago-
nisn, naturally. But the evidence
that it exists and is getting stron-
ger on Mr.. Gamers part is appa-
rent to those who have studied
this phase of the national polti-
cal scene with care.
Roosevelt Encouraged
The number of people who are