Evening star., 1940-01-08
Sharp Contest Is Seen
Over Way Democrats
Are 10 Pick Delegates
Corner Forces Demund
Primaries, Not Choice
By Stote Committees
By G. GOULD LINCOLN.

BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.
A sharp contest over the method
of selecting delegates to the Demo-
cratic National Convention, par
ticularly in some of the Southern
States, is in the immediate offlng.
Supporters of Vice President John
N. Garner for the presidential norA-
nation are insisting that the people
shall have voice in the selection
of delegates to the national conven-
ton wherever that is possible under
the State laws. The demand Of some
of the New Deal leaders, however,
has been for uninstructed delega-
tions to the national convention and
for their selection by State COM
mittee or State convention.
The Garner people are pointing
out that in 1882 James A. Farley,
now Postmaster General and chair
man of the Democratic National
Committee and at that time lead
ing the Roosevelt drive for dele
gates to the National Convention,
strongly insisted that primaries
should be held. That may be Mr..
Farley's desire today. However, there
have come from the White House
reports that the naming of unin-
structed delegates would be fol-
lowed where possible With a large
group of uninstructed delegates it
may be easier for the New Dealers
to control the presidential nominal
| ton.
Florida Body to Meet Friday.
The Florida State Democratic Ex-
ecutive Committee is to meet Fri.
| day. Under the law, the commit
tee may, if it wishes, select the
delegates to the convention, or 20
ahead with primary. There have
been efforts to have the committee
name the delegates. More recently,
it was said today, there has been
support for the primary, which
would be held May T. The Florida
Senators and the Governor were
quoted as favoring the primary. If
a primary is held, it is expected a
slate of delegates favorable to Vice
President Garner will be put for
ward. OF course. a slate of unin-
structed delegates also could be
placed in nomination.
Georgia is another State in which
delegates to the Democratic Ma
tional Convention may be named
either by primary election or by the
State Committee. The Garnerites
are going to the bat for a primary
there, and hope to defeat a move
on the part of Gov Rivers to have
the delegates picked by the com.
mittee.
The Roosevelt forces strongly op.
posed committee selection of dele.
gates in both Georgia and Alabama
in 1882, and in Florida too, and
Roosevelt delegates were elected in
all three of these States.
Speaker Bankhead, who is to be
one of the principal speakers alon4
with the President at the Jackson
Day dinner at the Mayflower Hote.
tonight, announced his willingness
to be candidate for the Democratic
nomination last August and said
at the time he wanted Alabama s "a
delegates only if "a majority Of
voters in the primary sincerely
favor my nomination."
Choice Left to Committee.
Under the State law, the Ala
bama Democratic Executive Com
mittee may choose and instruct the
delegates to the national conven-
ton itself or may call for selection
in Statewide primary. The
regular primary at which nominal
tions are made for other Offices
takes place May Z.
In his statement last August %
in Montgomery the Speaker said:
Il assume that no responsible
leaders plan to deprive the Ala
bama Democrats of the right to
elect their delegates"
1t seems unlikely that the name
of Mr.. Garner will be entered in
the Alabama primary if Speaker
Bankhead is to be a candidate for
the support of the delegation, al
though Mr.. Garner has many
friends in the State.
Senator Bankhead, brother of
the Speaker, on Saturday said in
an interview that undoubtedly the
Speaker would have the Alabama
delegation and added that the
Speaker has better chance of be-
coming the Democratic nominee
than most persons realize
Arkansas is still another State
where a primary may be held If
candidates for the presidential
nomination demand it.