Evening star., 1949-06-12
u Roosevets on Political Scene
They Could Become
Governors from
Big Stotes
r, Hnutd irroio
By Gould Lincoln

w SS@t9 s1Bt@Sh
The impact of the Roosevelts
on the history of the United States
for the last half century has been
an amazing record-and two more
Of the family are knocking at the
door for high political preferment.
James Roosevelt, Democratic ma
tional committeeman for Cali
fornia, Is laying his plans to run
for Governor next year. Franklin
ID. Roosevelt. jr.. recently elected
Representative from New York's
goth congressional district, is a
possible candidate for either Gov
errior or Senator. In any event.
1t Is expected that these two sons
of the late President Franklin
Delano Roosevelt, viii face the
electorate OF their respective
States In 1850. Franklin D., jr..
must run for his present seat in
the House. II he does not aspire
TO the Democratic nomination for
either the Senate or Governor and
he intends to remain actively in
politics.
In 20 out of the last so years, a
Roosevelt has been in the White
House. Theodore Roosevelt was
the first-a Republican. He served
virtually eight years as President
and produced the Square Deal" "
for which he was roundly de-
nouHced in conservative quarters.
Twenty years later Franklin D.
Roosevelt was elected President.
and was three times reelected.
When he died suddenly soon after
his fourth election. he had been
in the White House a bit more
than IL years. And he produced
the New Deal" which aroused
even more hatred than the Square
Deal, but also more enthusiasm.
Theodore Roosevelt did not give
up easily. He sought to stage a
comeback in 1912. failed to win
the Republican presidential nomi-
nation against President William
Howard Taft and running as a
candidate of the Bull Moose Party
he made certain the election of a
Democrat, Woodrow Wilson.
The presidential nominations of
1852 are three years in the future.
II James Roosevelt makes good at
the polls in a contest for Governor
of California, 1t Is almost a GER
tainty he will heave his hat in the
ring. Young Franklin D. Roose-
welt, jr., is IS years old and by 1852
will be 38-the same age at which
Gov. Dewey Of New York made
his first bid for the Republican
presidential nomination. If he
wants to 60 to the Governors S
chair in Albany and does not make
the try next year. he will have
to wait until 1854 or 1858.
May Be Family Affair
Few Democratic members Of the
House from New York have made
outstanding records in recent
years. The spotlight. however,
will be turned on Franklin D., jr..
the minute he takes his seat. It
is conceiyable-whether probable
or not-that by the time 1852
rolls around, a Roosevelt Governor
of California may be facing across
the country Roosevelt Governor
of New York.
p Several hurdles confront the
Roosevelts. In California. James
Roosevelt must run the gauntlet
of a primary election to win a
gubernatorial nomination. In New
York. gubernatorial and senatorial
nominations are made in party
convention-usually in September.
before the November general elec-
ton. Young Franklin D. has a
year in which to make good in the
House and to convince Democratic
leaders in the State that he is
qualified for quick advancement.
AS Of today. George Luckey, a
wealthy raricher. is most frequent
ly mentioned as a probable con-
tender for the Democratic guber-
material nomination in California.
Mr.. Luckey is vice-chairman of
the Democratic State Central
Committee, a supporter of Presi-
dent Truman last year, and a
recent visitor at the White House.
Both the Roosevelts are war vet
erans; James was a colonel Of
Marines and Franklin a COM
mander in the Navy, all Of which
will do them no harm In their
sallies into the field Of politics.