Evening star., 1940-02-29
The Political Mill
President Roosevelt Leeds Poll Of 81
Writers on Best 'QuoIified Man for Presidency

total Of Z points. Senator Wheeler
OF Montana, another Of the fore
most Democratic contendefs, also
had Z points-one first choice and
two second. Paul v. McNutt, for
mer Governor of Indiana, on the
other hand, had six second choices
no f1rstS. and had IL points. Dewey
OF New York had q total of S
points, resulting from one second
choice, and three third choices.
"Joe' Martin, Republican leader Of
the House, received IA points, and
Senator Taft, IS.
The writer's put three members
of the Supreme Court OF the United
States in their lists-Associate JUS
tlce Douglas and Associate Justice
Frankfurter, both Democrats, and
Associate Justice Roberts, Repub-
ltcan. Justice Douglas, who has
been regarded as a dark horse New
Deal candidate in some quarters,
had a total of points, and JUS
tice Frankfurter and Justice Rob-
erts each had only 2.
Three business men, Wendell
Willkie, utility executive; Bernard
Baruch, f1nancler. and William
Clayton, Texas cotton broker, also
were included in the list, though
none of them was a first choice.
And a socialist also found a place,
Daniel w. Hoan, mayor of Milwau-
kee, Wis, since 1916.
Say Experience Is Needed.
Some of the writer's favoring
President Roosevelt and former
President Hoover gave as their rea-
son the need for past presidential
experience In these abnormal times.
Mr.. Hoover received six first choice
understanding next to Mr.. Roose-
velt in the matter of flrst-choice
ballots.
This same list of 50 political writ
ers have been polled in the past on
their opinion as to the probable
presidential and vice-presidential
nominees Of the major political par
ties-and the results of those polls
differed materially from the present
poll. except that President Roose-
velt was rated highest on the list
Of likely Democratic nominees. A
number Of the names found in the
list published today by Newsweek
had no place in the earlier polls.
1t is one thing to believe that
man would make a good President
and another to believe he can be
nominated and elected.
In today's poll, Attorney General
Robert H. Jackson is given a high
rating, with a total OF Is points.
Mr. jackson has been called the
Presidents choice for the nomina-
ton. provided he can get it. Post
master General Farley, who had IL
points in today's poll and who is
chairman Of the Democratic Ma
tional Committee, is not at all
favorable to the nomination of
Jackson. Gov John w. Bricker of
Ohio. sometimes regarded as
compromise candidate for the Re-
publican nomination, had one point
O41Ay- lIlAI u CllUlCe.
.a-, On Ohio Election. ~
Ohio is at present leading the
way-if Republicans are to be cred
ited-in the matter of political sem
timent. The overthrow OF the
Democrats in the Seventeenth Con-
gressional District in that State last
Tuesday Is the reason given. The
district has been Democratic for %
out Of the last 80 years, and has
been held by the Democrats for the
last 10 years. The Republican VIC
tory in the Twenty-second Congress
sional District where Mrs. Chester
G. Bolton was elected to succeed her
late husband was by wider per-
centage margin than Mr.. Bottoms
victory in 1898.
This evidence OF Republican
strength in pivotal Ohio may give