Evening star., 1940-01-28
Roosevelt 10 Confer
On Convention Plans
This Week
Choice of Place and Time
Nay Be Left to
Subcommittee
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

subcommittee
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.
Democratic leaders, including Ma
tional Chairman James A. Farley,
will consult with President Roosevelt
this week to learn his views regard
ing the time and place for the DEM
ocratic National Convention.
The Democratic National Com
mittee is to meet here Monday, Feb
ruary S, on call of Chairman Farley,
to select the date and the city
where the convention is to be held.
A proposal that the National Com
mittee turn this work over to SUBJ
committee has been advanced-on
the theory that it would then be
possible for the Democrats to out
jockey the Republican National
Committee which is due to meet
here February Is, and select a date
for the Democratic National Com
mittee later than the date picked by
the Republicans for their national
convention.
Two Other Suggestions.
Another suggestion is that by
naming a subcommittee to fix the
time and place-it will be possible
to leave the whole matter, including
the selection of the officials of the
convention, in the hands of small
group named by Chairman Farley.
And a third suggestion is that by
postponing action on the date of the
Democratic National Convention it
will be possible to continue still fur
ther the mystery which surrounds
the plans of President Roosevelt or
the selection of a candidate accept
able to him. That would play into
the hands of the third-term draft
err
or all the Democratic presidential
"possibilities" prominently men
toned only two have so far given
no public statement regarding the
third-term riddle. One is the Presi-
dent and the other is Chairman
Farley. 1t has been made clear, on
behalf of Vice President Garner,
for example, that he will be can
didate for the presidential nomina-
ton whether the President runs or
not. Federal Security Administra-
tor Paul v. McNutt has said he will
run If the President is not a can
didate, and that he will support the
President if he does run. Senator
Wheeler of Montana, while he has
said he is opposed to third-term
nomination on general principles,
has also said he will support the
President if he is the party choice
And so on down the list.
Farley's Cryptic Remarks.
Mr.. Farley is believed not to favor
a third-term nomination-but he
has never said so, although his
cryptic remarks in his Winston
Salem address last week were so
interpreted. The opinion was ex-
pressed here yesterday that the
national chairman, who has been
the Roosevelt campaign manager
on two occasions, is hoping that he
will not be compelled to answer
the third-term question; that the
President will make some state
ment clearing up the situation be-
fore Mr.. Farley is forced to take
q position one way or another.
President Roosevelt weeks ago
suggested that it might be wise to
postpone the date of the Democratic
National Convention and have a
shorter period for the national
political campaign. 1t is now re-
ported, however, that any date after
July will be acceptable to the
President. This would be couple
of weeks later than the usual time
for holding the national conven-
ton.
The national committee will as
semble here week from tomorrow
at 10:30 am. in the Willard Hotel
Invitations to the committee men,
bers for a reception at the White
House the evening of Tuesday,
February 6, are being sent out. This
would indicate that the committee
may be in session two days-or at
least that the members will re-
main in Washington for the second
day, even If their work is concluded
In one day.
Many Favor Chicago.
Chicago is believed to be favored
by many of the Democratic leaders
as the place for the national con-
vention-among them the President.
. It was in Chicago that he was NOM
mated for the first time, and it
was there he proclaimed the New
Deal" However, other cities are
In the running. A Philadelphia
committee is already hard at work
seeking both the Democratic and
the Republican National Conven-
tions of this year.
If several cities put in bids for
the Democratic National Conven-
tion, accompanied by pledges Of
similar contributions, it may be
urged that the matter be taken
under further advisement and
turned over to subcommittee.
named to select the city and the
date for the convention. AS a rule,
the city which makes the highest
cash bid for the convention Is
chosen, provided the accommoda-
tions are satisfactory
Vice President Gamers candidacy
came into the limelight again yes
terday when the Texan told friends
that John L. Lewis opposition
is the best political asset have" :"
That was described authorita-
lively as the Vice Presidents re-
action to Mr.. Lewis criticism Of
the Democratic party and of Mr..
Garner's political candidacy. Sew
eral months ago Mr.. Lewis, head
of the Congress of Industrial Or
ganizations, called Mr.. Garner an
''evil old man."
Persons close to Mr.. Garner said
the Vice President had commented,
too, with a grin, that his "asset"
had been deprecated when Mr..
Lewis also eliminated President