The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-02
WASHING7O ON
DAYBOOK
By PRESTON GROVER

WASHINGTON, Feb. H. Ohio democratic
leaders, by promising their delegates to Presi-
dent Roosevelt or to the man of his choice,
have stepped into the forefront of a move
which might easily give T.DR. a grip on the
convention such as has been held by no retir'
ing President since the earlier Roosevelt.
So tight was Theodore Roosevelt's hold that
simply by retiring he was able to give the JOB
to the man he chose, William Howard Taft.
With a strong line of delegations pledged to
him in the manner outlined for the Ohio dele
CATION, President Roosevelt also could name
his man by the simple act of retiring from
the field. AS an indication of the b~andwagon
drift that may start toward Roosevelt, Mayor
Kelly of Chicago has said the President would
get the big Illinois delegation.
The question then arises as to what sort of
man President Roosevelt might choose to carry
on the new deal. Repeatedly F.D.R. has indi-
Gated that in many respects he was emulat-
ing TT. Doubtless he has clearly in mind the
bitter disappointment T.R. had when he dis.
covered Taft was neither able nor disposed to
complete the framework of the earlier Roose.
velt's national policy.
Who Would 1t Be?
Except for Secretary of Commerce Harry
Hopkins, Franklin Roosevelt has no official
friend so intimate as was Theodore Roosevelt
with Taft. Hopkins weakened physique has
virtually Gllulludttd Hill do d oiNiNdS WAN
else might be Roosevelts choice, if he did
not decide to continue on the job himself?
Certainly he would choose a man who would
do what T.R. thought Taft would do-vlgorous-
ly carry out the program already laid out or
envisioned.
There is more than casual evidence that
President Roosevelt has been looking out Tor a
man with political 'toomph," plus a liking for
the new deal, plus enough iron In his spine
to keep from wavering.
Lately F.D.R. has given Secretary Hull a
boost by plugging the trade agreements pro
gram, but the two lads who have had the sus-
tanned administration build-up are Paul V. NC
Mutt, former governor Of Indiana. and Robert
H. Jackson, currently more in the spotlight
than other administration figures.
McNutt proved in Indiana that he could get
votes, could iron out opposing political leaders,
| could belch fire on the rostrum and coulo
keep in his grasp the many strings OF a state
government.
Successful Solicitor
But he isn't the new dealer that Roosevelt
is, In that field, Jackson outclasses McNutt
| Jackson is the boy-hero of the new deal crowd
| They will tell you that he is RooseVelts chos-
en-. That is challenged in other quarters.
How he will stack up in fields in which NC
Mutt is most experienced is another Question:
An effort to push him into the New York gov
ernorship in 1888 was stopped dead-presum'
ably by the interference of James A. Farley
Reputedly Farley thinks neither McNutt nor
Jackson is presidential timber.
So Jackson has not been tried as an electlve
executive. He has been tried out as a federal
official and has won his spurs. Even his worst
friends concede he has done an able JOB as SO
licitor general. That is second in command III
the department Of justice. Now he is heao ol
the department as attorney general.
Either of these the lightning may STRIKE II !
does not choose to strike itself into a thlro
term.