Evening star., 1949-08-09
Dewey Deaf to Appeals
On Entering Senate Race
New York Republican Chiefs Hope
To Persuade Dulles to Run
The Political Mill
Bv Gould Lincoln

NEW YORK, Aug 9-Notwithstandlng re-
cent appeals Gov. Thomas E. Dewey Is not
going to run for election to the Senate next
November Gov. Dewey has said this himself
and it is reiterated by his closest associates.
Furthermore a strong effort will be made oy
New York Republicans to persuade Senator
John Foster Dulles, now serving under ap-
pointment to fill the Wagner Senate vacancy.
to make the race for the short term which
ends January 8, 1851. They believe he would
be q strong candidate and that If former
Gov Herbert Lehman were the Democratic
Senatorial nominee, Senator Dulles could
defeat him.
What Gov. Deweys personal political plans
for next year may be Is something else. Un-
doubtedly strong pressure will be brought on
him in 1850 to seek reelection. His personal
preference is to return 10 the private practice
OF law and build up competence for him.
self and his family. Circumstances existing
in 1850 will have their influence on his de-
cision. He is never a man to back away from
fight and If he conceives it his duty to run
again he will.
Party Tangle in New York.
Rarely has the political situation in New
York, particularly in New York City, been
SO mixed and complicated as 1t is today.
In addition to the Democrats and Repub-
licans there are two major minor" political
parties-the American Labor Party and the
Liberal Party, hating each other. The
American Labor Party, which in the past
has gone along with Democratic candidates.
is of on tangent of its own, promising
to put a senatorial candidate in the field
as well as long string of others, including
Representative Marcantonio as its candidate
for mayor.
Detection Of the American Labor Party
from the Democratic candidates is a serious
proposition. Last year 1t supported Henry
Wallace for President, making it possible
for Gov. Dewey to carry the State against
President Truman. 1t is now trying to
persuade Henry Wallace to be one OF its
senatorial candidates this fell. If Mr..
Wallace runs. he will get considerable
radical vote. including large number Of
Negroes.
The Liberal Party, which would line up
with Mr. Lehman in the senatorial race,
is supporting some of the fusion candidates
in the city election, which tends to mix
the voters to the nth degree.
The recent controversy between Cardinal
Spellman and Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, widow
Of the late President. over Federal aid to
education has left a deep bitterness, not
withStanding the efforts to patch up the
AFFAIR. Mr.. Lehman rushed to the defense
of Mrs. Roosevelt, who the cardinal had
charged with bigotry and antagonism to
the Catholic church. So deep is the feeling
that some OF the Democrats in Albany are
saying today that city, usually strongly
Democratic, would not be counted for Mr.
Lehman II he were the Democratic nominee
for Senator.
The Republicans, who had thought Of
nominating a Catholic for Senator prior to
this Spellman- Roosevelt row, obviously can
not proceed with such a nomination. 1t
would be too patent an interjection Of the
religious issue into the campaign.
Coy About Nomination.
Mr.. Lehman has been coy about saying
whether he will or will not run for Senator
He can have the nomination, the Democrats
say. II he wishes. Others whose names have
been suggested for the Democratic Sena-
jr. son of the former Senator, and youth
ful Franklin D. Roosevelt, jr., now serving
in the House. Mr.. Wagner has agreed to
run for borough president in Manhattan.
though at first he was q candidate for the
Senatorial nomination and played around
with the idea OF being nominated for mayor.
His has been descending scale politically
Young Roosevelt might be the Democrats
best bet for the Senatorial race, though he
might find himself handicapped too, and
in the same way as MIR. Lehman.
Obviously, If the Roosevelts, and especially
F.DR.. 'jr, are to progress in Democratic
politics in New York. all suspicion of Roose-
welt prejudice against the Catholics had to
be eradicated Mrs Roosevelt, in her reply
to Cardinal Spellman, did an excellent Job.
The question, however. is whether the rap
proachment between the two reached the
roots.