Evening star., 1947-06-13
IeyDecIores Roosevelt Break
Began With Purge Attempt
Article Tells How
He Was Ignored on
Social Grounds
By the Asseeioisd Press

Franklin D. Roosevelt stemmed
from his refusal to go along with
the Inflated 1888 attempt to
purge" Congress members who
opposed the Supreme Court re-
organization plan.
! The former Postmaster General
and Democratic national chairman
said the four time President never
! iforgave me for putting party well
fare above the personal allegiance
| he considered his due"
| In the first of series OF articles
! in Golfers on Why | Broke With
Roosevelt" Mr., Farley said he sup
ported the court plan Ito the hilt,
but for the sake of the party refused
to participate in attempts to defeat
its opponents in the primaries a
year later
/ Among the intended targets OF the
purge" attributed by many to the
late Harry L. Hopkins. were Sem
ators George of Georgia and Tyd-
lllSS Ol MdI yldlIOs ISotii WCie AZ
nominated and reelected. .
Mr.. Farley wrote that there was
no sharp, clean fracture of friend
ship" but rather slow, impercep-
tible drifting apart OF political prin-
ciples." He added:
Looking back through the years,
7 find it hard to put the finger OF
memory on the beginning. Almost
before I knew it, I was no longer
called to the White House for morn
ing bedside conferences, my phone
no longer brought the familiar voice
in melli1uous familiarity, and
months dragged between White
House luncheon conferences. Soon
I found l was no longer being con-
suited on appointments, even in my
own State.
Then, too, T found I was as
much in the dark about the Presi-
dents political plans as was the
chairman of the Republican Ma
/ tional Committee.
| Knocked at Party Loyalty"
! white House confidence on poll
/ tics and policies went TO small
band of zealots, who Knocked at
party loyalty and knew no devo-
| ton except to their leader
! Mr.. Farley said his relationship
with the President was "basically
/ political and seldom social" He
wrote
.sHrs pnnsa,alt r,,.o cold sEsru MI :
/ lin finds it hard to relax with peo-
pie who aren't his social equal. /
| took this remark to explain my
being out Of the infleld."
/ The climax to the break came
when Mr. Farley let MS name go
before the Democratic convention
IN 1910. Mr. Roosevelt was Tenom-
mated for his third term with 946
votes to y for Farley, 81 for John
Nance Garner, 9 for Senator Tyd-
ings and for Cordell Hull.
Friends of the late President re-
fused comment on Mr.. Farley's arti-
Gle. One said only Mrs. Roose-
welt could answer Mr.. Farley, who
spanked the political organization
behind Mr.. Rooseyelt's first two
elections.
Purge Called Iii-Advised.
A Roosevelt associate still in pub
lie life said what many Democrats
have stated for quotation in the
past-that the aoortive purge at
tempt was one of the most ill-ad-
viSed' moves Mr.. Roosevelt ever
made.
+ This associate disagreed. however,
with Mr. Fariey's remark quoting
Mrs. Roosevelt about relaxing with
social equals.
| On the contrary" the associate
declared Roosevelt could relax with
dock walloper, a bartender, or
any one else"
! Regarding Mr. Farley's assertions
that Mr.. Roosevelt in early 1887
Iconfided to him and then publicly
iavowed' an intention not 10 run
/ for third term. the Roosevelt as
sociate said there was no doubt of
the Presidents sincerity at the
time
Future developments, particu-
larly at and after Munich, caused
him TO reconsider" the associate
added. I thought third term would
kill him and it did A fourth term
which was inevitable, just hurried
lit along"
Mr. Farley left the Government
and the political sidelines in 1910
TO become board chairman Of the
Coca Cola Export Corp.
Gives Causes of Resignation.
Mr.. Farley enumerated the five
events leading up to his resignation
from the Cabinet and National
| Committee in August, 1910, as fol-
/ lows:
!. After Mr. Farley shared in big
ovation given Mr Roosevelt on Octo-
Der IA, 1886, in Chicago, Marvin H,
I Mcintyre, the Presidents secretary,
/ told Mr.. Farley the next day they
| thought it best that thereafter Mr.
Farley should not appear on the
same platform with the President
because of the Tammany situation y
{ L bristled with indignation" Mi.
4 Farley wrote. Il knew my presence
would not have been resented by
any one except those disturbed by
| the widespread friendships I had
gained. At that time there was no
| Tammany situation. and If there
had been one. I could not have
been involved in it,
| Told of "Asperations."
| 2. A few weeks later Basil O'Con-
nor. Mr.. Roosevelt's former law
partner and now chairman Of the
Red Cross, reported to Mr.. Farley
that the President thought Mr.
Farley was nursing presidential
aspirations for 1910"
This simply was not true at the
time" Mr.. Farley said. Yet I have
often wondered whether this uneasy
suspicion colored my subsequent re-
lations with the White House
3. Charles Nicholson, then pub
licity director Of the Democratic Ma
tional Committee, had to urge the
President to write letter of appre-
citation to Mr.. Farley for his work
in the 1886 campaign. The letter
~ Hrqraf ~