The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-03-24

Roosevelt, anti-Fourth Term group
 MT. Ely grinned without trou- bling to answer directly. He thought briefly, and then outlined his reasons.
 ''The Democratic party today is split wide open. It has lost all sense of direction. We've been de- feated in so many states it's getting discouraging. I don't think we can lave strong party until we Dem- ocratS restate our faith.
 TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS
 Nobody seemed willing to stick his neck out. They're all afraid. That's a mean thing to say, but they're all looking for some office. They talk a lot, but MT. Roosevelt has been an extremely popular man and they think he still is capable of pulling this election out of the fire.
 "So I stuck my neck out. I have no ambition for office, and nothing to lose. My sole purpose is to see if we can't get the United States back on the track where it belongs"
 How" I asked him, twill your candidacy do that?"
 Perhaps my temerity will help somebody else to get up a little courage" said MT. Ely.
 Political gossip up here is to the effect that the group headed by former Secretary of War Woodring of Kansas hopes, at its trump con- vention in St. Louis in May, to consolidate all Roosevelt ele- mentS behind slate headed by MT. Ely with Senator Byrd of Virginia, Senator O'Daniel of Texas, or some body of like mind in second place. BOLTED PARTY BEFORE
 This ticket would be offered to the Chicago convention, first in hope that the threat of split party would persuade the president not to end a notable career in de- feat. The inference is that if this failed, third party would be con- sidered seriously.
 MT. Ely said he had not heard of such plan. He thought Sen- ator Byrd, former Democratic Chairman James A Farley, sen- ator Guy M. Gillette of Iowa, Sen- ator Bennett Clark of Missouri or Senator David Walsh of Massachu- sets would make a better head for the ticket than he. After medita- tion, he added Senator Burton K. Wheeler of Montana and former Governor Alfred E. Smith of New York to the list.
 Would you be willing to head such ticket, If you were asked?" I inquired.
 T really don't know" he an- Swered. T haven't thought about it.
 'If MT. Roosevelt is nominated, will you bolt the party?" I asked. After supporting MT. Roosevelt in 1882 Governor Ely took walk with Al Smith in 1886 and returned to the fold, formally if not very en- Enthusiastically, in 1940.
 He thought that over for some time. Finally he said: q don't be- neve l want to answer that question right now"
 This is of course, a very brief summary of about an hours con- versation, out of which 1t was im- possible to emerge without the con- viction that former Governor Ely Is entirely realistic in his candidacy, He has no illusion that he can be nominated. He has very little hope that MT. Roosevelt's renomination can be stymied. In that event he will have to decide whether to SUD- port 8 Republican nominee whose identify he can not know yet, or keep quiet, or go through the mo- tionS of backing the president. HOPES FOR UNITY
 Whatever his decision, Massa- chusetts people who know him well the convinced that it will spring from his heart, motivated by sin cere devotion to the national well fare and no less ardent desire to do what, in the long run, will most certainly reunite the Democratic party and make it into an effective political mechanism.
 I'm still 8 Democrat" he said earnestly. T believe SO thorough ly in its approach-not the modern one, but the historical-that T would be a most happy man if it would come back to unity. But I am sure that 1t cannot return to unity under the present leader ship"