Evening star., 1944-08-20

kUUSeveHs ndnnegdn
Spend Hour and Half
Discussing Campaign
BY J. A. FOX.
President Roosevelt and Chair
man Robert E. Hannegan Of the
Democratic National Committee be.
gan to talk over the fourth-term
campaign yesterday afternoon at q
White House conference which
brought them together for the first
time since the Chicago convention
but after the meeting which LASTED
for an hour and q half, Mr.. Hanne-
gan said plans were discussed only
In general terms.
In response to q question, Mr.
Hannegan said he did not know
whether the President would make
any speaking tours-that this point
did not come up. Nor did he care
to say whether he thought the
President should take the stump.
Because Of the wartime secrecy
surrounding the Presidents move
ments, political observers have beer
wondering If the President would
make any political appearances.
Won't Make Usual Campaign.
In his San Diego acceptance
speech, Mr.. Roosevelt said that he
would not campaign in the usual
sense" but that he would feel free
to report to the people the facts
about matters Of concern to them,
and especially to correct any mis-
representations"
This, in substance, was his stand
also four years ago, when the early
days Of the campaign period were
given over to defense inspection
trips, which we're climaxed. in the
last few weeks before election, with
forays as far east as Boston and
west to Cleveland for a series Of
avowedly political speeches. to cor
rect what the President described
as systematic and deliberate
classification Of facts by the op-
position"
That, however, was before the war
curtained the Presidents travels.
Mr.. Hannegan plans to talk to
Vice President Wallace about max
ing some campaign speeches. He
also will see the President from
time to time.
Mr.. Hannegan said that yester-
days conference dealt principally
with the makeup of the commit
tees necessary for the conduct of the
campaign. He said that no names
had been discussed for the chair
manship of the all important
Finance Committee.
Two Major Tasks Seen.
The part to be taken by the vari-
Gus divisions-labor. woman's and
veterans, for example-was taken
up.
As the chairman sees 1t, the two
principal tasks confronting the COM
mittee are getting out the vote" and
combating the overconf1dence that
would lead to a lessening of cam
paign efforts. He described Demo-
cratic prospects as favorable" but
refused to say how many States he
thought the party would capture.
Asked what States he Is worried
about, he laughed, and replied:
I'm an election you are worried
about every State
He said that he would go "as far
as I can" in ringing doorbels," to
get the voters out. The migration
Of labor offers problem, the chair
man believes, for. he amplified, the
working population of the country
is Democratic. and this class, going
from State to State, will run into
new election-law requirements that
must be met If they are to vote.
Farley Pledges Advise.
Chairman Hannegan said that he
had seen former Chairman James
A. Farley in New York, and had
told the latter he hoped to have the
advantage of his advice and counsel.
Mr.. Farley responded that he would
welcome him any time, the chair
man added. Mr.. Farley, who split
with President Roosevelt four years
ago, has announced he would sup
port the ticket.
Chairman Hannegan told news
men that Senator Clark of Missouri
just beaten for denomination in the
Democratic primary. also has said
he would support the ticket. Sena-
tor Clark blamed his defeat on the
CIO, which is supporting President
Roosevelt.
Whether a formal notification
ceremony will be held to advise
President Roosevelt of his renomi-
nation is up to Chairman Frank C.
Walker Of the Notification Commit
tee, Mr.. Hannegan said. While
there has been some suggestion
that this committee would be
brought to Washington, Mr.. Hanne-
gan thought that Mr.. Walker might
decide that the telegraphic notif1-
cation, which was followed by Presi-
dent Roosevelt's radio address to
the Chicago convention, might be
sufficient.
Senator Truman of Missouri, the
vice presidential candidate, will
have a formal notification at his
birthplace, Lamar, Mo-. August 20
Lamar is in Southwest Missouri. q
location that makes it easily acces-
sible to party members from Kansas,
Oklahoma and Arkansas who NAV
wish to attend the ceremony, Mr.
Hannegan pointed out.
hIl Asl a II Al