Evening star., 1947-07-05

only Republican joining the Admin
istration, and secondly by Mr.. Lam
don,s refusal to join unless Mr..
Roosevelt would renounce a third
term.
Mr.. Landon related that he was
called to Washington by Mr.. Roose-
welt in September, 1889, for a BIZ
partisan conference concerning re-
peal of the neutrality act.
"A few weeks later" Mr.. Landon
wrote, Prank Knox was offered a
place in the cabinet. He replied.
that he would be in position of
being a traitor to the Republican
Party If he went in the cabinet
alone, and that the President would
have to get me-"
Laid Down Condition.
; Mr.. Landon then and at all times
thereafter laid down the condition
that he would enter the administra-
ton only If Mr.. Roosevelt renounced
a third term. Mr.. Knox for while
supported this position. But shortly
after Mr.. Landon and Mr.. Roose-
velt finally came to a parting of the
ways incident to an abortive lunch
con meeting at the White House in
May, 1910, Mr.. Roosevelt named Mr..
Knox and Henry L. Stimson, an
other Republican, respectively, as
Secretaries of the Navy and War.
Now Mr.. Farley, In the latest ex-
cerpt from his diary, published in
the current issue of Golfers, says
that as he was leaving a cabinet
meeting on December 8, 1889, Mr..
Roosevelt beckoned him to remain
behind.
"Jim," the President said, 1--WE
got quite a problem on my hands.
It's the appointment of a new Sec
retary of the Navy to succeed Swan
SON."
When Mr.. Farley asked why not
Charles Edison, then acting Secre-
tary of the Navy, Mr.. Roosevelt
complained that Mr.. Edison was
hard of hearing.
What do you think Of Frank
Knox?" the President asked.
Mr.. Farley demurred. There are
qualified and able Democrats for the
job," he said. IF you name Mr..
Knox you would have to have Mr..
Edison's resignation, because I am
sure he expects the appointment" p"
"Oh, I have that all figured out, "
he Roosevelt) said lightly. "The
best way to handle it would be to
have Frank Hague name him as
a candidate for Senator or Cover
nor"
Mr.. Roosevelt asked Mr.. Farley to
fix this up with Mr.. Hague and
Mr.. Farley agreed, though still pro-
testing against the appointment Of
Mr.. Knox.
"They Have Votes, Too"
ooh, come now, JIM" Mr.. Farley
says Mr.. Roosevelt chided, mock
ingly. Republicans aren't that bad.
Remember they have votes,
too"
Mr.. Hague reluctantly agreed to
give Mr.. Edison a State nomina-
ton, but the deal didn't come off
Immediately and Mr.. Roosevelt
named Mr.. Edison Secretary of the
Navy. The obstacle obviously was
Mr.. Knoxs refusal to become Sec
retary OF the Navy unless Mr..
Landon or some other Republican
was taken into the cabinet at the
same time. Five months later, and
on the eve of the Republican presi-
dental nominating convention, how
ever, Messrs Knox and Stimson
were appointed and Mr.. Hague,
much to his subsequent sorrow, took
Mr.. Edison off Mr.. Roosevelt's hands
by nominating him for Governor Of
New Jersey.
Mr.. Farley follows with the story,
told the first time, Of the confer
ence at Hyde Park in which he
first became sure Mr.. Roosevelt
was all set to run for a third time.
II was constantly baffled," Mr.
Farley says, "by the way the Presi-
dent seemed to be saying first that
he would not be a candidate, and
then, by slip Of the tongue, that
he was going to be a candidate.
Then came the final shock. We
talked about convention procedure.
BY the the way, Jim, the family
is not going to attend the conven-
tion,' he volunteered. Undoubtedly
I will accept the nomination by
radio and will arrange to talk to the
delegates before they leave the
convention hall after the nomina-
tion.'"
North Amsrieon Newspaper Alliance