Evening star., 1953-08-20
The Political Mill
Flynn Death May Open
Bitter New York Fight
ForIey Urged to Attempt
A Political Comeback
By Gould Lincoln

The death of Edward j. Flynn, for
more than 20 years Democratic leader
of the Bronx, may be signal for an
other bitter struggle between the left
and right wings of the Democratic
Party in New York. For Mr.. Flynn.
in addition to being Bronx boss. was
Democratic national committeeman
and it will be necessary to fill his seat
on that committee. The Fair Dealers
and New Dealers as represented by
Senator Lehman. Representative Frank
lin D. Roosevelt, jr, and w. Averell
Hartman will demand that one Of
their number be chosen by the Demo-
cratic State Committee to fill the Flynn
vacancy. Other factional leaders may
rally to James A. Farley, the man who
engineered the first presidential nomi-
nation of the late Franklin D. Roose-
velt back in 1892, who became chair
man of the Democratic National Com
mittee and Postmaster General, and
who broke with Roosevelt in 1910 over
the third-term issue.
The New York Democrats could do
much worse than turn again to
Farley for political leadership. Jim
Farley, in addition to being a great
organizer and indefatigable worker, has
in excess the qualities which win
friendship and loyalty-the same kind
of friendship and loyalty which he him.
self gives. Indeed. since Mr.. Farley's
departure from party leadership in the
Empire State, the Democrats have gone
from bad to worse. The three main
reasons for the disintegration have
been (a) Gov. Thomas E. Dewey, who
has been the nemesis Of the Democrats
in New York ever since he became
Governor in January, 1943; (b) the
strife between the new leaders and
the Farley conservatives. and Co the
growth of two strong splinter parties
in New York City, the Liberal Party
and the American labor party.
Intra-Party Fight.
The Democrats therefore have been
fighting among themselves rather than
against the Republicans. They have
developed so far no new leaders who
hold the confidence of the people and
there is none on the horizon Their
only signal victory in State elections
in more than a decade was the elec-
tion of Senator Lehman in 1949 to fill
'"NANJ NoAOCO NY VIC uCdJIl VI LIl0
late Senator Wagner, another New
Deal Democrat. and his reelection in
1850. Lehman'S margin of victory that
year OF 256,000 was nothing much to
cheer about in New York and was at
trlbutable in considerable degree to
the fact he had made good Governor
OF the State and to the further fact
that there is huge Jewish vote in
New York Senator Ives, Republican,
who defeated Lehman in 1916 for the
Senate by 100000 votes, was reelected
last year, receiving almost 300, 900 more
votes than did his Democratic oppo-
nent, John Cashmere, who had been
picked by the futile Democratic organi-
zation to make the race. Neither the
Liberal Party nor the American Labor
Party was willing to go along with
Cashmere and they put candidates of
their own in the field. Even with
their votes counted in opposition, Ives
was ahead by between 100000 and
100000 votes.
Strong Leader.
Ed Flynn, like Farley, was an attrac-
tive personality and strong leader
in his party of Greater New York. He
oouNN Will 1IOOoCNclC III MS DlQ Tor q
third term for President, and when
Farley stepped out of the chairmanship
OF the Democratic National Committee.
ne was Roosevelt's choice for the place.
Jim Farley has never lost his in
tense interest in politics, national and
State. He has never sought to make
personal comeback to power, though
ne has engaged in number Of forays
into party affairs. Backing his own
candidates against those supported by
the New Dealers, he won one signal
victory when he caused the defeat of
President Roosevelt's handpicked can
o1date for the gubernatorial nomina-
ton, former Senator Mead, in an up
roarious and hard-f1ghting Democratic
State convention. He has a strong
personal following among Democrats
in New York and indeed throughout
the country. He might at one time
have been successful candidate for
Governor, It's entirely likely he would
like to have try for that Office in the
future. The Roosevelt Fair Dealers In
New York, however, will never consent
to having Farley take again the lead
ership in Democratic State politics II
they can help it.