Evening star., 1944-07-21


from a united party. One-tenth of
the convention voted against him
and If it had not been for the
patronage fed city bosses, his own
job holders and the White House
weight, the President would not
have had majority.
This is the simple truth about
1t and under the circumstances it
takes considerable effrontery to
refer to the nomination as "spon-
taneous call from the country" 1t
was call all right, but it was a
created, calculated call, nursed and
nurtured by the Presidents politi-
cal agents and aides. Not many will
dispute that.
CIO Dominance Shown.
For another thing, from the
fourth-term standpoint it was un-
fortunate that the CIO dominance
here was so clearly revealed. OF
course, the Messrs. Hillman and
Murray do dominate and are direct
ing the fight, but it was hardly the
best politics to show it so plainly.
There is really deep resentment
toward these radical labor profess
sionals and their communistic
affiliations. Once it is we'll under
stood, the prospect that with an
other Roosevelt election these
gentlemen would move into posi-
tions of governmental power far
greater than now is not one to ap-
peal to the people generally. That
the idea has substance was fully
demonstrated here in Chicago by
the manner in which the Hillman-
Murray combination bossed the con-
vention and the degree to which the
Presidents aides deferred to their
wishes.
Then, too, there are those who
deplore the fact that his strange
course in connection with his run
ming mate left some of Mr.. Roose-
velt's most loyal friends with justi-
fled grievances and caused the in
sidious word double cross" to be
used freely around the convention
and even in print.
1t was not only that his lukewarm
Wallace Endorsement opened wide
the door through which the enemies
OF the devoted Henry rushed but
there seems no question that the
President encouraged-at least in
directly-other candidates. For ex-
ample, there was former Justice
James F. Byrnes.
The personal closeness of Mr..
Byrnes to the President makes it
difficult to believe that he became a
candidate without first ascertaining
that he would be acceptable to Mr..
Roosevelt. Yet, the President hardly
could have helped but know the
angry CIO opposition to Mr.. Byrnes.
By frankness with his friend, he
could have saved him the humilia-
ton of being slapped down by the
Hillman-Murray team, which he
was. Mr.. Byrnes is the best of SOL
diers and will not exhibit his wounds
in public But his friends do not
hesitate to say that he has been
mortified and deserved better treat
ment from the Chief, for whom he
has done so much.
While he, too, gave no sign. the
completeness with which Mr.. Paul
McNutt was ignored by the Presi-
dent did not escape general notice
Though Mr.. McNutt was conspic-
uously here, no place was found
for him in the administration
scheme of things. But places for
other-and less important-Indi-
anians we're found For example,
Senator Jackson was made perma-
nent chairman of the convention.
Worst Cut Of All.
However, the worst cut of all was
that in his letter to Chairman Han
negan naming four others who,
along with Mr. Wallace, Mr.. Roose-
velt held would be acceptable run
ming mates he included the name
of Judge Sherman Minton, the
former Indiana Senator, and did
not mention Mr. McNutt. 1t was
also said that Senator Barkley of
Kentucky was not at all pleased by
the kind of pressure put on him
by White House aides not to permit
his name to 60 before the conven-
ton, the idea being to promote
Senator Trumans interests, he being
the second choice of the CIO bosses.
Add these things all up and it
seems clear that this convention
will not only not have established