Evening star., 1940-02-25
Roosevelt Race
With Garner in
|||inoisAssured
Bonkheod Urges
President to Reveal
Third-1erm Plans
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

dent against Vice President-in the
Illinois presidential preferential
primary on April 9 was assured
when the deadline for Withdrawals
passed at midnight last night. No
word came from the President or
his hackers, according to dispatches
from Springfield, Ill.
Unless the decision of the Illinois
Secretary of State should be upset
by action of the State Certifying
Board, last night stands as the last
moment for Withdrawals. The
board will meet March 5. Included
in it's membership are the Governor
and attorney general.
While Illinois presents this con-
test in the Democratic preference
primary, Thomas E. Dewey Of New
York remains the sole outstanding
figure in the Republican race there.
Neither Senator Taft of Ohio nor
Senator Vanderberg of Illinois was
willing to enter the primary. Mayor
La Guardia of New York, whose
name was entered by a mysterious
client" of the Ross Federal Re-
search Corp. of New York, with.
drew at the 11th hour.
Dewey's Following Large.
Mr.. Dewey, according to reports
brought here by Republican leaders
from Illinois at the time of the
G. O. p National Committee meet
ing a week ago, has a large follow
ing in the State.
Dewey would defeat any of the
other presidential aspirants 3 to l
in the Illinois primary" was the
comment made by one of these
party leaders.
Mayor La Guardia, whose with
drawal statement in New York in
dicated he was again backing Presi-
dent Roosevelt in presidential race,
would have been showed under by
the Dewey vote in Illinois, it was
predicted. His declaration for Mr.
Roosevelt in the primary appears to
have removed him effectually from
any further consideration as
Republican candidate-if he ever
had any chance for such considera-
ton.
Representative Hamilton Fish. Re
publican. Of New York advised IL
linois officials yesterday that he did
not choose to run" as a presidential
candidate in the Illinois primary.
His decision was announced in
telegram to Edward j. Hughes,
Illinois secretary Of State.
Third Term Mystery.
Senator Bankhead Of Alabama
yesterday joined other Democrats
during the week in urging that
President Roosevelt make some
statement regarding his political
plans. Speaker Bankhead. brother
of the Senator, is a favorite-son
candidate in Alabama.
Senator Bankhead told reporters:
The President should give ex-
preston to what he is going to do.
I don't think there is much dis
agreement on the point that he
should make his intentions known.
1t would be better for all concerned,
including the President, If he would
make statement"
Senator Bankhead asserted that
If Mr.. Roosevelt should seek re-
nomination, then he can have it
without much question" The Ala
bama Senator added:
people don't like second choices
and as long as Mr.. Roosevelt is at
large in the situation there is no
way for the people to make up their
minds on other candidates. There
can be no test of sentiment so long
as the President remains silent"
First New Deal Plea.
Senator Bankhead is the first New
Deal Senator to suggest that Mr..
Roosevelt declare his intentions.
Similar suggestions were made last
week by Senators johnson. Demo-
crat. of Colorado and McCarran,
Democrat, of Nevada.
The Presidents silence has ef1ec-
lively hog-tied all other Democratic
presidential possibilities - except
Vice President Garner. That goes
for Postmaster General James A..
Farley, even though his name has
been entered in the Massachusetts,
primary. The Democratic leaders
in that State insisted they were
"for Roosevelt first" If the President
should become a candidate.
Neither Paul v. McNutt OF Indi-
ana. Federal Security administrator,
nor Senator Burton K. Wheeler OF
Montana, for example. have entered
any contests for delegate support.
Only the Vice President has turned
up as a bona fide, open and above
board contestant against Mr.. Roose-
welt.
In vain have the Garnerites en-
deavored to stiffen the backbones OF
other potential candidates. 1t was
the hope of the Garner supporters
| (See POLITICS, Page A-5)