Evening star., 1942-08-16
Roosevelt Test Due
Next Wednesday
In New York
Rival Claims for Need
And Bennett Made on
Eve of Convention
Fy the associated Press.

i y
NEW YORK. Aug. 15-New York
State, reservoir of Presidents, to-
day eagerly eyed next Wednesdays
Democratic convention for major
test of Franklin D. Roosevelt's po-
litical prestige at home.
Candidates in the battle raging
for the gubernatorial nomination
were Senator James NJ Mead from
Buffalo, and John j. Bennett, jr.,
State attorney general from Brook
lyn.
To political observers generally
Senator Mead and Mr.. Bennett
were, only the front men with the
underlying contest one between the
New Deal forces of President Roose-
velt and James A. Farley, State
Democratic chairman and once
close Roosevelt friend.
Mr.. Bennett, whose campaign has
been carefully guided by Mr.. Far
ley, was in the race first and piled
up stack of delegate pledges.
Coming in later after a draft"
movement, Senator Mead claims to
have cut into the Bennett strength
through support of Gov. Herbert
Lehman, Senator Robert Wagner
and National Chairman Edward j.
Flynn.
Presidents Remark Recalled.
Despite far-flung implications of
the battle, the White House has had
little to say publicly. At a press
conference the President said
IF were a delegate to the con-
vention, I would cast my vote for
Jim Mead"
Then early this month when Mr.
Farley accused Senator Mead OF
being an isolationist, the President
said the Senator was not an isola-
zionist
In the face of the presidential
plugs" Mr.. Farley hAs maintained
consistently that Mr.. Bennett would
be nominated and elected and pre-
dicted Senator Meads name never
would be presented to the conven-
ton.
AT the present time I feel
Checkup would show more than 700
votes for Bennett" the State chair
man declared.
Terence j. McManus, chairman
of the Mead-for-G Governor Com
mittee. claimed majority of the
1,014 delegates without naming
specific figure.
Bennett Gain Indicated.
Recent developments have indi-
Gated Mr.. Bennett was gaining
ground Five leaders of the power
full Tammany Hall delegation. gen.
orally considered in the Mead bloc,
have indorsed the attorney general
and one delegate has broken from
the Bronx delegation, chairmaned
by Mr.. Flynn.
There has been virtually no ac-
tivity in the Republican ranks where
former District Attorney Thomas
E. Dewey appears to have a clear
field. The COP will convene August
"a at Saratoga
The American Labor Party. which
gave Gov. Lehman his margin of
victory over Mr., Dewey in the last
election, has indicated Senator
Mead would be acceptable but has
turned thumbs down on Mr.. Ben
nett. The party will hold its con-
vention here next Saturday.
Labor Party Picks Slate.
In an all-day conference ALP
leaders agreed on an independent
State ticket to be named in the
event Bennett is nominated for Gov
ernor
Leaders said the ticket would be
| discarded in favor of Senator Mead
or some compromise candidate ac-
ceptable to President Roosevelt.
Their proposed third ticket fol-
| lows:
Governor, Joseph D. McGoldrick,
Comptroller of New York City; Lieu
tenant Governor, DR.. George S.
Counts, professor of education at
Teachers College. Columbia Univer-
Sity; Attorney General. former ms