Evening star., 1946-03-20

course. if he were defeated his
chances of being renominated for
President by the Republicans in
1s48 would disappear. 1t is signifi-
cant that since the first of the year
this opinion has changed.
Far from feeling now that Gov.
Dewey could not be reelected, the
best view is that the chances favor
him. Partly, this is due to the un-
deniable Republican trend partly
to the fact that the Democratic
combination, which until 1912 had
! been unbeatable, is not quite as
tight as it was; partly to the fact
that even his opponents admit Gov.
Dewey is making an exceedingly
competent Governor.
Naturally, a reelected Dewey,
with his big State delegation solidly
with him, becomes again formida-
BILE contender for the 1948 Presi-
Dental nomination. That this is Mr..
Dewey's idea and desire can be
accepted.
Meade May Be Opponent.
AS to Mrs. Roosevelt, the plan is
to persuade" her to be a candidate
for the Senate. Those who know
Mrs. Roosevelt regard persuading
her to run as one of the easiest of
tasks. OF course, the notion of run
ming Mrs. Roosevelt is predicated
on the assumption that Senator
James Meade, whose term expires
this year, will become candidate
for Governor instead of seeking to
return to the Senate. This seems
likely enough. For, while number
of names have been suggested for
the gubernatorial nomination, SEN
ator Meade is generally regarded as
the strongest available man.
AS was to have been expected,
the movement for Mrs. Roosevelt
comes from the radical groups,
such as the American Labor party,
and from the practical politicians.
The primary reason for the support
Of these Is belief that Mrs. Roose-
velt could win in year when the
trend Is away from the Democrats
and that her candidacy would
help the State ticket. In addition
to the regular party vote, she would
get, it Is contended, more solidly
than any other Democrat the radical
and radical coalition which has
been marching under the Demo-
cratic label since 1886 and with
which Mr.. Roosevelt carried New
York three times.
Cornered Negro Vote.
Especially is this true of the Negro
vote. More than any other iridi-
vidual, Mrs. Roosevelt was respon-
sible for the extraordinary political
feat in 1886, when the Democrats.
took over almost entirely the Negro |
vote in 10 pivotal States where It'll
had for three generations been the
basic Republican asset. James A.
Farley, who helped conceive and
execute the scheme, asserts that it
could not have been done without
Mrs. Roosevelt. He says she was
almost as effective as the WPA un-
der Harry Hopkins.
No white person since Abraham
Lincoln has had as large a follow
ing or half the influence among the
Negroes. In addition, she is greatly
beloved by the CIO, of which she
is a member.
OF course, the Republicans take a
different view of Mrs. Roosevelt's
candidatorial strength. Conceding
her popularity among the Negroes
and the radicals, they insist her
nomination would solidify the con-
servative forces behind her oppo-
,nent as they have not been before
Moreover. they say, Mrs. Roosevelt
is disliked by more persons than
like her: that the Republican Or
ganization would work harder to
defeat her than any other; that
many more Republicans up State
woulk come out to vote against her
than have ever been ous before
that any good man could beat her:
that New York-and the Nation
are fed up with Roosevelts. want
no more of them, male or female,
dor a long time.
interesting contest.
Nevertheless, it would be an in
teresting contest. and the result
would be Illuminating. Though
aware of what goes on, Mrs. Roose-
yelt has said nothing. Those who
know her well say she would adore
being in the Senate. They think
she will eagerly enter the field if
she gets organization encouragement
and satisfactory setup can be ar
ranged so that she will seem to be
drafted"
It will all have to be very digni-
fed. 1t must seem to be put up to
her as a duty. 1t must appear that
she yields only because of the op-
portunity for Service" and in re-
sponse to a demand. All OF this can
be arranged easily enough. 1t has
been before and it can be again.
Also, Mrs. Roosevelt is rich wom-