Evening star., 1942-08-21
BY GOULD LINCOLN.

nett, jr, nominated for Governor
by the Democratic State Con-
vention In Brooklyn yesterday
after one of the most dramatic
political battles ever staged, to-
day is faced with the Job of
binding up the wounds in the
party to such a degree that he
can, with some confidence, meet
Republican Thomas E. Dewey in
the fall election.
Mr.. Benefits victory was one
of the most astounding political
reversals. 1t Is attributable to
two things.
First. the thoroughness with
which his sponsor, Democratic
State Chairman Big Jim" Far
ley, had organized the Bennett
for-Governor forces.
Second, and by no means least,
to the tremendous hold Mr.. Far
ley has on the loyalty and affec-
tions of the members of the or
ganization he has built up in
New York State during the last
Ia years.
Personal Triumph.
The Bennett victory, indeed,
will go down as a personal tri-
umph for Mr.. Farley-a triumph
achieved over almost unthink-
able odds, with President Roose-
velt, Gov. Lehman, Democratic
National Chairman Flynn, Tam
many Leader Kennedy, not to
mention the American Labor
party, aligned against Mr.. Farley
and his candidate, Mr.. Bennett.
Senator Mead, who had been
drafted" by the President and
the presidential supporters to
oppose the Farley candidate.
seemed on the face of the odds
to have all the chances to win.
That the triumph of Mr.. Far
ley Is sweet in the mouth of the
New York State chairman no
one can doubt-although Mr..
Farley is today bent upon har-
mony in Democratic ranks, for
only half of the battle has been
won. He must put across his
candidate for Governor in No.
vember.
If Mr.. Bennett Is defeated, the
vials of wrath which the New
Dealers will pour on the head of
Mr.. Farley will be a perfect Nj
agara Falls in volume and in
tensity.
Mr.. Farley, the one-time chief
political aid of President Roose-
welt, had been marked for the
slaughter by the New Dealers.
They wanted to get rid OF him as
chairman of the Democratic
State Committee of New York.
They cid not fancy Mr.. Farleys
having control over, or influence
with, the big delegation which
the State Democrats will send to
the Democratic National Con-
vention in 1914, when a presi-
dental candidate must be select
ed to succeed Mr.. Roosevelt.
Ever since Mr.. Farley declined
to go along with the third-term
nomination of President Roose-
velt-and even before that-the
New Dealers had their knives out
for Mr.. Farley. The personal
split between the President and
Mr.. Farley had become as deep
as the Grand Canyon.
Saved Political Scalp.
The fight for the Democratic
gubernatorial nomination, carry
ing with 1t control OF the Demo-
cratic State organization, meant
Mr.. Farley's political demise II it
ended in defeat. He would have
been as uninfluential from now
on as former Gov. AL Smith.
Mr.. Farley, not wishing to be
retired from the game which he
has played with great success for
80 years or more, showed him.
self again master political me-
chanic. He started to bring
about the nomination OF Mr.. Ben
nett by the Democrats as soon
as Gov. Lehman definitely an
nounced he would not be a can
didate under any circumstances.
He outmaneuvered the opposi-
tion.
Had the President moved as
quickly as Big Jim," there seems
no reason to doubt that he. too,
might have pledged the county
leaders in large numbers to him
and whatever candidate he se-
lected