Evening star., 1950-12-28
F. D. Roosevelt, Jr., Gains
Strength in New York
:
Party May Have to Accept:
Him as Leader in 1854
The Political Mill
By Gould Lincoln


leaders here wouldn't let young Frank
lin D. Roosevelt, jr., be nominated for
Governor last September-but they may
have to take him in 1854. Mr.. Roosevelt
was reelected to the House by big
vote-in strongly Democratic district
while the choice of the party leaders.
Representative Walter A. Lynch, was
being beaten by more than half million
votes in his race for Governor.
Presumably Mr.. Roosevelt will be re-:
elected for third consecutive term in
the House two years from now. With
six years service in the House of Repre-
sentatives, he will be considered by many
seasoned enough to place in Albany In
addition, he will by that time be forty
years old.
Not in long time has the Democratic
organization in the Empire State, and
in the city, been so shot to pieces. Even
in the days of fusion and the late
Fiorello LaGuardia, the Democrats held
on to the governorship and kept two
Democrats in the United States Senate.
and broke more than even with the
Republicans in the House delegation.
Pulled Two Boners.
But this year, when the Democrats
seemed to have chance to take over
control of the State government, they
pulled two large boners-the nomination
of Mr.. Lynch for Governor and the re-
fusal to recognize the title of Mr. Impelli-
teri to the nomination for Mayor. Mayor
Impelliteri remains. of course, a Demo-
crat, although he ran as an independ.
ent and won last November. But his
entrance into the race played right into
the hands of the Republicans, many Of
whom supported him against the nomi-
nee of the Democratic bosses, Justics
Ferdinand Pecora. Mr.. Lynch was an
unknown-outside Of the congressional
district he had represented in the House.
The chant in New York today is,
What can the Democratic Party do to
come back? Here and there you hear
that when the right time comes the man
to take over the reins is James A.
Farley, who managed a couple Of success
full presidential campaigns for the late
President Roosevelt and served for eight
years in the cabinet. Mr.. Farley him.
self is saying little. That he has host
of friends over the State is known to all.
but that the old Roosevelt followers
who have had no liking for him sincs
he broke with the late President over
third presidential term nomination will
accept him is another matter.
Tammany may have a new leader be-
fore long-but it does not appear likely
that Democratic State Chairman Fitz-
patrick will be eliminated. And Ed
Flynn, Democratic boss of the Bronx, il
not giving up-and he will also retain
his membership in the Democratic Ma
tional Committee.
Could Be Party Hope.
Without strong candidate for Cover
nor. however, the Democratic Party will
be handicapped, in all probability. just
as it was in 1912, 1946 and in 1850. If.
therefore, Mr.. Roosevelt attends to his
knitting in Washington and builds
himself up at home, he may be the
partys white hope in 1854. He might.
of course, aspire to a presidential
nomination in 1882 although his selec-
ton for such a nomination seems
scarcely likely if President Truman runs
for another term. His father before him
was nominated for vice president, with
James M. Cox of Ohio in 1920. But the
gubernatorlal route. in New York, has
been the pathway to many presidential
nominations. and it has already taken
two Roosevelts into the White House.
The Roosevelt name in New York il
still potent, and Franklin D., IT., Snoulo
make a: good showing If he were nomi-
mated, particularly in Democratic New
York City. He must, however, have
more than name to run on. If he gains
in stature by his own efforts-as he
may-certainly his name will do him
no harm. His older brother, James.
Roosevelt had his tryout for major
political office in California-and lost by
a large margin to Gov. Earl Warren.
destroying the myth Of Roosevelt in
vincibility. That, however does not
necessarily mean defeat for Roose-
welt in New York.
At present. New York Democrats have
a dearth of headliners from whom they
might select a gubernatorial candidats
four years hence. That, too, does not
injure the chances of Mr.. Roosevelt. =