Evening star., 1949-05-09
Franklin Roosevet's
Fight for House Seat
Stirs Manhattan
Nv fhs Assoeiatsd Press


NEW YORK, May 9.-Manhat-
tan's crowded West Side is being
treated TO o rip-roaring political
fight over the bid Of Franklin d.
Roosevelt, jr., for a seat in Con-
greSs.
Street corner rallies, sound truck
salvoes. house-to-house canyasses
campaign buttons, placards by the
thousands-all the trappings of q
full-hedged campaign-are pres
ent, although the special election
May II involves only the 2oth
congressional district seat.
Young Roosevelt. first of the late
Presidents five children to seek
elective office. seems by common
consent of his three opponents to
be their target.
Petition Was Lengthy.
The petitions filed for him, bear
ing $3.50 signatures, probably
would have won him this position
aside from his name and back
ground. Some observers think
$4,000 votes will win the election
They realize, Of course, that al
who signed may not vote fof
MIR. Roosevelt or even vote at all
There were 124,4l2 votes in the
goth district In the 1948 general
election. But experience in past
special elections indicates 10000
ballots would be a high figure next
week.
At any rate, the three other can
didates have taken out after MIR.
Roosevelt.
DR.. Annette Rubinstein, the
American Labor Party nominee,
refers to the 35-year -old lawyer
as Junior" and describes him as
of the Du Pont family-"or should
say late of Du Pont?"
Mr.. Roosevelt's wife, the for
sner Ethel Du Pont. now is in Reno
to seek q divorce.
Uses AL Smith Story.
Municipal Court Justice Ben
jamin Shalleck. who got the Dem
ocratic nomination after Tam
many had denied 1t to Mr.. Roose-
welt, uses an AL Smith story to
thrust at his opponent.
He quotes Mr.. Smith as saying
In the 1924 campaign, when MIR.
Smith was running for Governor
II am being opposed by a name,
o glorious name in American his
tory. However, the individual who
bears that name has no record OF
achievement, no record of accom-
plishment. He is simply a name u
Mr.. Shalleck then says: IA
Smith was opposed in that cam
paign by Teddy Roosevelt, jr. We
have the same situation in this
Congressional district"
william II. Mcintyre, the Re-
publican choice, calls Mr.. Roose-
welt o semi Democrat" but adds
he is going to let his opponents
keep YOU informed. on why they
think themselves disqualified"
G.. O. II. Makes Hard Fight. e
The Republicans are making q
hard fight in the normally Demo-
cratic district, believing 1t has Q
good chance with the opposition
vote throughly split. The specia
election Is to fill seat left
vacant by The death of Sol Bloom
veteran Democratic Congressman
Mr.. Roosevelt. who lis running
under the banners of the Liberia,
and Four Freedom Parties. has
allowed his campaign manager
to answer what the latter calls
gutter" attacks.
The young attorney has OBJ
tanned residence in the district tc
meet the charge that he does moi
live there. He spends every wax
ing hour in some phase OF cam
paining.
With a voice and mannerisms
that inevitably remind listeners
of his late father, MIR. Roosevelt
has been turning on all of his
charm at street rallies, small
gatherings at apartments OF
friends and supporters and tours
Of the district on foot.
More than 500 canvassers are
working for him.
Mr.. Roosevelt voices strong sup
port of the United Nations, q
comprehensive housing program
and civil rights legislation. He
reserves his denunciations foI
Tammany Hall-an ancient tar
get against which his father also
tilted many times.