Evening star., 1940-07-15
Big Jim and The Boss May Part This Week
Only Roosevelt
And Farley Know
What Is in Store
Other PoIiticos Guessing
President Will Run,
.Choirmon Will Step Out
BY WILLIAM PINKERTON,
Associated Press Writer.

BY WILLIAM PINKERTON,
Associated Press Writer.
The political saga of big Jim"
and "the boss" may come to an end
this week. .....
Either James A. Farley or Frank
lin D. Roosevelt may write the clos
ing chapter.
Big jim" rowing the hotel corri-
dors of Chicago with the years big
secret on his mind, has said he will
not manage another campaign for
the man he twice helped to the
presidency.
The man Mr.. Farley calls "the
boss" returned to the White House
from resting cruise on the Po-
tomac last night, still silent on the
third-tern question.
Politicos Are Guessing.
big Jim" and "the boss" know
now how the story will end.
The rest of the politicos are
guessing. Today they are guessing
that Mr.. Roosevelt will run again.
that Mr.. Farley will step out of his
Office as chairman of the Demo-
cratic National Committee.
If that happens Americans will
read the end of the political part
nership between the son of a wild
owed shopkeeper of rural New York
and the son of weu-to-do family
of genteel traditions.
Mr. Farleys loyalty-often re-
marked by Roosevelt and others
might be the theme.
Mr. Farley has stuck to the New
Deal" job despite frank desire to
recoup his personal fortune in busi-
ness. According to report. he has
turned down such lucrative jobs
as ''czar" of the liquor industry,
"czar" of the movies and automo-
bile executive.
"Whipping Boy" of Opposition.
Serving both as Postmaster Gen.
eral and as party chairman, Mr..
Farley has been both buffer and
a patcher-up for the Roosevelt ad-
ministration.
During the first term of the New
Deal-when Roosevelt enjoyed peak
popularity-Mr. Farley was called a
whipping boy'' of the opposition.
He bore criticism for holding Of
fees both in the cabinet and in
the party, for canceling the airmail
contracts, for distributing priced
sheets of ''imperforate" stamps"
Even his proud claim of getting the
post office business out of the red
was criticized.
Mr.. Farley'S answers seldom ran
to personal attacks. But once, after
q particularly bitter assault, he ex-
ploded to the President: That
fellows mother ought to spank
him."
Espoused Court Proposal.
In the second term Mr. Farley
sought to hold the party together
when breaks threatened between
New Dealers and "antis."
He espoused the Presidents Su-
preme Court proposal when it was
attacked my many Democrats and
remarked that IF you are going to
play on ball team you ought to
do what the captain says"
At the battles end, he talked
sympathetically to embittered Dem
ocrats of both sides on the funeral
train bearing the dead Senate DEM
ocratic leader, Joseph T. Robinson,
back to Arkansas.
When others in the Roosevelt
circle plunged into State primaries
during the so-called purge" cam
Nf 10 r1o I,o1 1oc Ky
aloof. AS those opposed by New
Dealers won the party's vote, Mr..
Farley sent each one congratula-
tions.
Again, when there was talk of
rift between President Roosevelt
and Vice President Garner, Mr..
Farley visited both men to talk it
out"
Met in 1920.
Mr.. Farley confessed frankly that
at times he felt the President from
sheer JOY of fight battled too hard
when compromising attitude
might have accomplished more."'
Jim first shook hands with his
future boss at political meeting in
1920. Mr.. Farley was county
chairman, Mr.. Roosevelt the CAN
didate for Vice President.
Their political fortunes were
linked in 1928. when Mr.. Farley
managed Mr. Roosevelt's campaign
to become Governor of New York.
In 1880, when Mr.. Roosevelt was
reelected by an unprecedented
plurality, Mr.. Farley predicted i'm
mediately that "the call will come"
for Roosevelt in 1882.
Immediately Mr.. Farley started
organizing for the drive. He built
up card-index of politicians
names and addresses that has been
invaluable since. Attending club
conventions he met hundreds of
influential men. Letters pursued the
acquaintanceship.
Mr.. Roosevelt made the speeches,
laid down the policy. Mr.. Farley
kept the politicians in line, dealt
out of patronage. Thus they won
in 1920 and 1915