Evening star., 1944-01-30

Louis Is IaCeQ WlLu q lar more Ql1u(
job helping to keep President Roose'
in the White House than confron
Farley in 1882, when the task was
put him into the presidency. If
President decides not to try for a fou
term, the achievement Of Demo-
cratic victory will be even more
complicated and arduous.
After the nominating battle at
the 1882 Chicago convention, CAM
didate Franklin D. Roosevelt and
Chairman Farley took over the
smooth-running, efficient party
machine that had been built up in
four years by Alfred E. Smith,
former Chairman John j. Raskob,
Executive Director Jouett Shouse
and Publicity Chief Charles Mi
chelson. In furthering the pre-
convention candidacy of Roosevelt,
Farley had toured the country and
knew the names, characteristics
and vote-getting ability of virtu- t
ally every prominent Democratic
leader. Roosevelt himself had
peen in correspondence with lit
orally thousands Of local leaders.
Hannegan, unknown nationally
three weeks ago, is taking over the
party machine that has been
shaken by II years of hard usage
on1 1ooLiro v,ooru of tho ;v,,Yor%,~,t
parts, especially State and city ad-
ministrations. During the past
three and half years the national
headquarters, first under the chair
manship of Edward ]. Flynn then
under that of Frank c. Walker,
have gradually SLOWED down to
barely noticeable movement. 1t is
Hannegans duty to start things
going in Washington and ma
tionally, and he properly says that
his first job is TO get acquainted"
Before his election last Saturday
he had not been in the headquar-
ters suite in the Mayffower Hotel.
In contrast with this Democratic
activity, the Republican National CO
mittee headquarters, housed in a spa
GUS former residence on Connecti
avenue, have been busy for the p
two years in preparing for the com
presidential and congressional ca
paigns. Although Republican Cha
man Harrison E. Spangler cannot
described as a ball of fire, he has
up a functioning organization, VIII
is attacking the Roosevelt administ
ton along the same lines as the Den
cratic attack on the unpopular Hoo
administration.
Two Parties Compared.
The purpose of this article is to co
pare the mechanics of the two party
ganizations, their strengths and wes
nesses, rather than to forecast the prs
able outcome of the November electio
The political mechanics will determ
IN large measure what the two part
may do the five months before the &C
ventions and the subsequent four mont
to the elections.
The difficulties facing Hannegan a
his headquarters are many. The Den
Gratis are divided; former Natiol
Chairman James A. Farley is agail
a fourth nomination and probably '
be against fourth-term election; I
Hatch Act rigidly limits the politi
activities Of administration officeho
ers; patronage is down to almost not
ing; in local elections many Nel
voters are switching back to the F
publicans; many organized labor vot
have not gone to the polls and 9th
are threatening to leave the New D
party; the farm bloc is defying I
White House. and the discomforts
rationing and the complexities of ia.
and business regulation are irritati
housewives and businessmen.
At this writing the Republicans he
the stronger and more harmonious
ganization. The elections of Senat.
and Representatives are the jurisdicti
OF senatorial and congressional ca
paign committees and are not direc
under the national chairman. But
work OF these committees can aid
the presidential campaign. The De