Evening star., 1940-08-02

ably knows the
Charles G. Ross. ins and outs of
its politics better than any other
Democrat, with the sole exception
OF the outgoing chairman, Jim Far
ley.
The choice, though nominally
made by a subcommittee of the
national committee headed by Mr..
Flynn himself, was undoubtedly the
Presidents. Through it, the Presi-
dent makes gesture of appease-
ment to elements in the party ag-
grleved by what they have felt was
the cavalier treatment of Mr.. Farley.
Boss of the Bronx.
OF equal or greater significance
Is the new chairman's boss-ship of
the Bronx. The selection shows
now great is the importance which
Mr.. Roosevelt and his advisers at
tach to New York in the coming
election. The judgment is sound.
From all indications, New York Is
the key State in the election. The
Republicans have got to have it in
oroer to win. You can figure out
possible combinations whereby the
Democrats, as in 1916. can win
without New York, but the chances
are great that if they lose there
they will lose the election.
BY far the most important chore
which has been given Mr.. Flynn
is to carry his home State. His sue
cess or failure there, in all probable
lty, will determine the outcome Of
the third-term effort.
1t is reasonable inference that
II New York did not bulk so large
in the political picture, someone
other than Mr.. Flynn would be pre-.
pairing to take over the reins from
Mr.. Farley. For outside the ranks
OF practical politicians, the name of
Mr.. Flynn is scarcely known to The
Nation. His public career-as State
assemblyman, Bronx County sheriff,
city chamberlain under Jimmy
walker. secretary of State-has been
confined to New York and has at
tracted no attention elsewhere. This
is not to speak in derogation Of
Mr.. Flynn but only to emphasize the
intensely practical character of his
selection. 1t is practical rather than
inspirational.
Behind the Scenes Figure.
On the strictly political side Of
the New Deal, as compared with the
more conspicuous policy making
SIDE, Mr.. Flynn has long been an
important behind the scenes figure.
Mr.. Farley in his book Behind the
Ballots" names the Bronx Demo-
cratic leader as one of "the real
financial fathers of the movement
started in 1881 to make Franklin
Roosevelt President. (Among the
others, it is interesting to note, were
Frank c. Walker of New York. who
was also considered for the national
Craftsmanship; Gov. Herbert H.
Lehman, then the lieutenant gover-
nor OF New York, and Joseph P.
Kennedy, now Ambassador to Great
BritainO Mr.. Flynn is repeatedly
bobbing up In Mr.. Farley's fascinat-
ing pages as one of the little coterie
of king-makers who saw their plans
come to fruition in the Democratic
convention of 1882.
In the spring of 1881, when quick
action had to be taken to counter
act a stop-Roosevelt maneuver,
there was bedroom conference in
the executive mansion at Albany
attended by the Governor (Roose-
velt), Louie Howe, Edward J. Flynn
and myself. Later in the White
House, Mr.. Roosevelt made these
bedroom conferences quite famous"
Again, Mr.. Farley and Mr.. Flynn
went together to Albany to talk
things over with the Governor
while he was handling the political
hot potato Of the Jimmy Walker
removal proceedings.
Eight days before the opening OF
the Democratic Convention OF 1892,
we find Mr.. Farley arriving with Mr..
Flynn in Chicago to open the Roose-
velt headquarters. -Four years later
the President, about to start his
speaking tour for reelection, gave
a breakfast on his special train at
Syracuse for number Of State
leaders, and among those invited
were Gov. Lehman, Edward j.
Flynn. the Bronx leader; Vincent
Daley and myself" Parenthetically
Mr. Farley records that Conspicuous
by his absence was Alfred E. Smith,
the Happy Warrior"
Thus, it appears that the New
York Bronx leader, though he has
| not had the national headlines like
the Corcorans and the Hopkinses,
has been from the start trusted
and effective worker in the vineyard.