Evening star., 1942-07-27

David Lawrence. enough in the
code of modern politics. pledges or
promises to the people either in cam
paign speeches or party platforms
can be repudiated or ignored and the
politician Shrugs his shoulders and
sighs either that conditions have
changed or that public opinion
forced a change. But let one poll
fail to keep it and the unwrqtten
rules of politics Immediately fasten
on the offender charge of perfdy
that is not readily forgiven.
The Farley side of the feud that
exists today-and it is in no sense
personal but political-is that Mr..
Roosevelt sometime in February,
1910. was to have announced that
he would not accept third-term
nomination. Jim Farley is supposed
to have had Mr.. RooSevelt's S personal
word to that effect. Farley, more
over, allowed his own name to be
entered in the presidential prefer
ence primaries in Massachusetts in
April, 1910, relying on that pledge
only to have administration hench-
men attempt to take away that dele
cation from him.
The Second Charge.
The second charge is that Mr.,
Roosevelt, in an interview with
reputable Washington correspondent
which was widely published early in
le40. deprecated the candidacy of
Jim Farley who was being mentioned
as possible vice presidential choice
along with Cordell Hull who was to
lead the ticket.
In that interview, which went
nndenied for more than two weeks,
Mr.. Roosevelt was quoted as having
said something about Farley's mem
bership in the Catholic church AS
q handicap to his candidacy. Ref
erence was made to the attitude
Of the Southern Democrats toward
q Catholic nominee and, Of course,
In 1928 All Smith a Catholic. was
knitted in the South in an unprece-
dented turnover
subsequently,, the published inter-
view, insofar as it related to Farley,
was denied by the White House, but
to this day the former Democratic
national chairman is reported by
his friends as believing the Presi-
dent said it and that the denial
was one OF expediency only.
Roosevelt Side of Controversy.
The Roosevelt side of the con-
troversy is that no man who has
occupied the high office of Presi
dent in the last so years has been
as free from race or religious preju-
dice as Franklin Roosevelt and that
he has proved it on many occasions,
beginning with his speech nominat-
ing Al Smith in 1923 and continu-
ing through to his appointment Of
prominent Catholics to his cabinet
and the Supreme Court, to say
nothing of his bold move in estab-
fishing for the first time a presi-
Dental contact with the Vatican.
All this can be so and yet politi-
cal gossip always has recognized
the religious issue as it pertains to
presidential nominations and Mr..
Roosevelt may have been simply
discussing political condition
rather than his own attitude. The
rebuttal on this point from Mr..
Farley's friends is that the Presi-
dent owes enough to Jim Farley to
champion his cause and put an end
10 bigotry in politics and that the
President had enough influence to
overcome such alleged handicaps.
Based on Conjecture.
The Roosevelt side of the contro-
versy about the pledge against
third term repeatedly given to Far
ley is merely matter of conjecture
based on the way the President
worded his famous statement to the
Chicago convention in July, 1910.
Mr.. Roosevelt said he had intended
all along not TO accept a nomina-
ton, but that world events caused
him to search his conscience and
come to the conclusion he should
break the precedent. 1t may well
be that Mr.. Roosevelt in February.
1910, was as convinced as he was in
July, 1910, that he was indispensable
70 Americas success in world af-
fairs, but Mr.. Farleys complaint is
that the President might at least
have sent for him and in all candor
told him of his change.
so when Senator Mead for sew
eral months past has said he wasn't
n candidate for Governor and now
enters the race as a draftee with the
Presidents support, it is not surpris-
ing that Jim Farley's friends begin
talking of what happened with the
use Of the draft" technique in 1910.
openly participated in by Office hold
ers beholden to the President for
their appointments and influence
Surely politics, of the kind we are
witnessing must be digging its own
grave as thoughtful citizens ponder
on the peculiar codes that are per-
mitted to function in the interest OF
personal ambition.
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