Evening star., 1942-08-22


straig ht from David Lawrence.
the shoulder. He Is no double
crosser, no willy or slippery person
who says one thing today and some
thing else tomorrow. He doesn't
wigele out of a pledge or commit
ment but stands firm.
Ever since American politics has
developed strong leaders who could
WELD oreanizational power, this
quality OF leadership has been ef-
fective. Even the ld-fashioned
political bosses were men of their
word. No matter what the commit
ment. they stood behind it. That was
the secret of their remarkable power
over their lieutenants and workers.
Jim Farley is perhaps the out
standing genius of political organi-
Eation In our times, and yet he is
not a boss or politician in the
adverse sense that the term so often
Is used. He is honest and incorrupt-
ible. He never has profited from
his years Of public service-he came
out OF Washington very much in
the hole financially because he re-
fused to use his public position for
personal gain.
Rejects Office for Himself.
Jim Farley could have become the
compromise candidate for Governor.
The Administration would have
been glad to withdraw Senator Mead
for that purpose and make ges
ture OF harmony. There was strong
pressure on Farley to let 60 of Ben
nett and take the nomination him.
self. But he never allowed that
kind OF a compliment to influence
him in the slightest though 1t is
known he has at different times
wished that he could be Governor
of New York State.
But Farley had given his word to
Bennett to go down the line for
him. and that meant there could
be only one candidate before the
New York convention the former
Postmaster General could support.
Many observers are contrasting
Farley's conduct before this New
York State convention with the
Presidents tactics. Mr.. Roosevelt
had conference with Farley at the
White House several weeks ago. He
didn't at that time oppose Bennett,
and Farley went away convinced
that the Chief Executive wouldn't
fight Bennett. But short while
thereafter the administration began
pulling wires to get candidate
other than Bennett, and finally Sem
ator Mead was prevailed upon to let
himself be drafted"
Mr. Farley assailed these draft
tactics as artificial and as contra
dictory OF all that had gone before.
Many Of the organization men in
the New York State Democratic
party knew all the facts and recog-
nized the Administration effort to
knife Farley, and they didn't like it.
There were few issues In that
convention that had any remote re-
semblance to public policies. The
real issue was whether Jim Farley
would be stabbed in the back be-
cause OF his loyalty to another
Democrat who had served the party
faithfully for many years and had
allowed his name to be- offered for
many months while the delegates
were being lined up in fair pre-
convention battle. The spectacle of
the White House interfering in a
sudden attempt TO oust Farley from
the leadership in New York State
Democracy with the ostensible pur-
pose of picking Senator Mead as
the gubernatorial nominee was not
lost on the organization workers,
who do not like 1t.
Reacts on Roosevelt.
Mr.. Roosevelt was poorly advised
to get into the fray. He hurt his
own record by allowing history to
record that in the midst of the
gravest crisis In Americas annals
he took any time to mix in a New
York party fight that could be con-
strued as related to possible fourth
term ambitions in 1914.
IT is being suggested that the
defeat of the Presidents interven-
ton shows the whole world that we
are democracy and that we do not
have a political dictator in the
White House That is very true.
but this impression however favor
able. was not created Intentionally
by the administration spokesmen ol
lieutenants in New York State. .
II has been suggested also that the
President likes politics. that it is
kind Of game which he likes tc
play and that it was just a bit OF
relaxation in the midst of his hard
work on the war Maybe it was
just bit of good fun-anyway, jim,
Farley won and millions of persons
irrespective of party. are glad that
this victory came to man of his
talents and character.
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