Evening star., 1944-07-17

due to exactly one thing-Mr. Roose-
welt weakened under pressure. The
New Deal political analysts may ex-
plain all they please, but that Is the
fact and there is no way to escape 1t.
Literally, nothing, other than that,
has happened. Mr.. Wallace is just
as strong-and no stronger-nOw
than he was before the Roosevelt
Hannegan letters were made pub
lie. He is just as loyal. just as
available and just as willing. APP
parently, the personal relations be-
tween him and Mr. Roosevelt remain
unchanged. He is as much the
logical choice as he was before and
the brutality of a rejection is un-
diminished.
Yet, the feeling today. even among
his friends, Is that Mr.. Wallace is
about to be eliminated. Some Of
these counsel him to withdraw from
the field, recognizing that because
OF Mr.. Roosevelts age and condi-
tion the second place on the ticket
Is more important than 1t has been
before, and that 1t should 60 to
some one of whom the people can
think in terms of the presidency
without shock.
Wallace UnpredictabIe.
Others suggest that he should de-
clare himself not a candidate in
order to relieve Mr.. Roosevelt of
embarrassment and strengthen his
chances Of election. Perhaps, Mr..
Wallace, who is a rather unpredict-
able kind of person, may adopt this
suggestion. Perhaps, some way will
be arranged between him and Mr..
Roosevelt by which he can save his
face and retire at the same time.
But. those who know him best do
not think Mr.. Wallace will act along
these lines at all. In the first place,
withdrawal would amount to public
admission that he is unfit to be
President. No man in his position
can be expected to make such an
admission.
AS to the political opposition, the
point is made that there is nothing
about Mr.. Wallace's public record
that makes him more subject to
attack than Mr.. Roosevelt, himself.
He has been 100 per cent New
Deal and 100 per cent for Roosevelt
6om the start-and that is all that
can be said against him. Perhaps,
1t is enough, but then the same thing
exactly can be said about the Presi-
dent.
Under the circumstances. it seems
great deal too much to expect
Mr.. Wallace to quit now-particu-
larly as the alternatives are men
whose qualifications for the Presi-
oency In no way excel his own.
Actually, he has considerably more
personal strength in the conven-
ton than any one OF the men
mentioned as aspirants for his place.
What it comes down to Is this
Mr.. Wallace can be nominated If
M. Roosevelt wants him enough to
exert fully his influence; and he
will not be nominated If Mr..
Roosevelt does not want him that
much. 1t is true that in the last
few weeks, Eddie" Kelly OF Chi
cago, Frank Hague of New Jersey,
Chairman Hannegan and other poll
ticians close to Mr. Roosevelt have
told him that Mr.. Wallace would be
drag on the ticket and he might
lose certain important States If he
insisted upon his denomination.
Under this pressure the President
undoubtedly has given way, and
information from authoritative
sources now Is that while he will
express a personal preference for
Mr.. Wallace he will not use his
power to force his nomination.
That would mean Mr.. Wallace
would not be nominated, and in
the end Mr.. Roosevelt would in
dicate some other source, as the
convention will name no one not
thoroughly agreeable to him.
Retains Control.
The Idea that because he has
declared in advance that he will
accept the nomination Mr.. Roose-