Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-01
Roosevelt Releases
His Supporters From
Backing Candidacy
BY the Associated Press

BY the Associated Press
LOS ANGELES, Feb. L.
James Roosevelt, urged by Demo-
cratic leaders to give up his
hopes for a seat in Congress as
a result of his wife'S charges of
adultery. today released his sup
porters from any further obli-
CATION
He left the door open. however.
for a final decision" on his
candidacy later.
Mr.. Roosevelt is accused of
intimacies with IL women in
his wife's suit for separate main
tenance.
Statement Given Out.
Attorney Samuel B. Picone
quoted Mr.. Roosevelt:
Il have released all my friends
and supporters from any further
obligation to me in the Goth
District congressional campaign.
l will not present my name to
the 18th District Council for in
dorSement. nor will I allow my
friends to present it at the Feb
ruary II meeting"
The District Democratic Coun-
Gil meets February IL to con-
slider ENDORSING a candidate.
The loophole came with a
further statement by the attor-
ney quoting Mr.. Roosevelt that
the candidacy filing time doesn't
begin officially until March 10
and continues until April 2,
which gives me plenty of time
to make final decision.
Another Statement Due.
Mr.. Picone also said a lengthy
statement is being prepared and
VIII be released this afternoon.
But the attorney said there would
be no question and answer period
at the meeting.
Whether the statement will
answer the question of why Mr..
Roosevelt signed a letter to his
wife in l945 admitting adultry
with nine women was not dis
closed. Mrs. Romelle Schneider
RooSevelt'S complaint included
copy of the letter. and charged
him with adultery with three
other women in the last two
years.
Concerning Mr.. Roosevelt's
race for Congress. Mrs. India
Edwards. vice chairman of the
Democratic National Committee,
and former Gov. Culbert L. Oh
son of California both said yes
terday that Mr.. Roosevelt can
best serve the party by dropping
his candidacy.
Place Party Welfare First.
Mrs. Edwards and Mr.. Olson
both emphasized that they were
concerned only with the party
welfare and were not attempting
to judge the merits of the Roose-
Welt marital controversy.
i feel very strongly that a !
man should have his house in
order before he seeks public
Office, and l don't see how any,
one with modicum of common
sense could fail to see how this
situation would affect the party"
Mrs. Edwards said. !
Mr.. Olson, now president of
the Dime-a-Day for Democracy
Embarrassing campaign in South- |
ern California, said, II am frank |
to say that l think Mr.. Roose-
welt will do the party the most
good by stepping out of his
candidacy for Office. He thus
would serve the party best" |
Refuses to Comment. ,
Mr.. Roosevelt refused COM
ment yesterday on statements by
Mrs. Richard Durant, the former
actress Jayne Shadduck and now
the wife of a Honolulu doctor. |
and Mrs. Robert S. Howard. the
former actress Andrea Leeus, |
both of whom denied they are
the persons of similar names in
cluded in the Roosevelt letter. {
hrs. Durant said she had
cabled Mr.. Roosevelt demanding
an immediate public retraction
of "the false, libelous statement"
linking her name with his.
Mrs. Howard said she felt COM
PEELED to make a public state
ment because of widespread as
sumption" that she was the Mrs.
Howard named in the letter.
How could / be-? It's ~idicu-
louS! It's terrible" said Mrs.
Howard. who lives in Palm
Springs with her wealthy sports
man husband and their two chill