Editorial: Secretary Hull’s speech
…
Background of news –
Defeated candidates
By Bertram Benedict
Speculation is rife on Wendell Willkie’s future course in the Republican Party, now that he has withdrawn from the 1944 presidential nomination race. Despite his decisive repudiation by Wisconsin voters last Tuesday, Mr. Willkie still has backing from a considerable number of individuals influential in the GOP.
Sometimes a defeated presidential candidate continues to dominate party affairs, sometimes he drops out of the party picture. A President defeated for reelection is more apt to steer his party’s course than is a candidate nominated only once, for the former has had more chance than the latter to build up an organization owing him personal allegiance.
In 1936, Governor Alf Landon after his defeat withdrew for a time from politics, although later he opposed publicly some of President Roosevelt’s foreign policy, and in 1944 has done some maneuvering in regard to the Republican presidential nomination.
For a time after Mr. Hoover left the White House in 1933, the Republican Party really was without definite national leadership until the 1936 Republican Convention fell under the domination of John D. M. Hamilton, Mr. Landon’s manager.
Smith-Raskob control ousted
In 1928, the Democratic Party after its disastrous defeat under Alfred E. Smith largely repudiated his leadership, except in the East. It is true that John J. Raskob, a Smith man, continued to be head of the Democratic National Committee, but as 1932 rolled around, James A. Farley and the Rooseveltians had little trouble in putting the Raskob group to rout in most states.
In 1924, John W. Davis let his party leadership go by default after his defeat. James M. Cox was also inactive after 1920, with most Democrats recognizing ex-President Wilson as their leader until his death.
In 1916, Charles Evans Hughes made no attempt to keep a grip upon the party helm, nor did William Howard Taft after 1912.
But Theodore Roosevelt, after seceding from the Republican Party in 1912 and running for the Presidency on a third-party ticket, resumed his active interest in Republican affairs. He really dominated the GOP on the eve of the 1916 convention, and might well have been the Republican nominee again in 1920 had he lived.
William J. Bryan continued to rule the Democratic Party after his defeat in 1896, the first year he was nominated, and he easily got the nomination again in 1900. Then he lost control, anxious as he was to retain it, but he regained it before 1908, the year of his third nomination.
Bryan promoted Wilson
Even after his third defeat, he was influential in Democratic affairs, and was largely responsible for the nomination of Mr. Wilson in 1912.
On the other hand. Alton B. Parker completely surrender his leadership of the Democrats after his defeat in 1904.
Farther back, the record continues mixed. Grover Cleveland stayed in the saddle after coming out second best in 1888, and he got his third nomination – and reelection – four years later. But ex-President Benjamin Harrison gave up leadership of the Republicans on his defeat in 1892. Gen. Hancock for the Democrats did the same thing after 1880.
Blaine (Republican) and Tilden (Democrat) continued to be the outstanding leaders of their parties after their defeats in 1884 and 1876, respectively; and in each case they probably could have had renomination if they had wanted it.
In trying to get the Republican presidential nomination in 1944, Mr. Willkie no doubt kept in mind the fact that the GOP has never renominated a defeated candidate for the Presidency.
In Washington –
Dealer to post lightbulb tax and base price
Must be separated to pass on levy
…
Free airmail for votes
Washington (UP) –
Postal officials said today that all post offices have been advised to be vigilant in honoring the free mailing privileges for ballots mailed to and from servicemen under the new soldier vote law.
The act provides that free airmail facilities will be used, wherever practical, for transportation of ballots to servicemen in this country and abroad, the first time such a privilege has been granted anyone. Even government agencies have to pay.
Alexander: ‘Black light’ will tell all
Peroxide blonds show up green
By Betty Alexander, United Press staff writer
…
Roving Reporter
By Ernie Pyle
With 5th Army beachhead forces, Italy – (by wireless)
In our old gang of Tunisian tankmen of a year and more ago, there was Capt. Jed Dailey, who comes from Sharon, Massachusetts, near Boston.
Jed was through that battle at Sidi Bouzid, and it was he who was so furious about losing his camera and his bedroll and all his films to the Germans.
I wrote about him at the time, saying he bet the Germans would develop those films eagerly, thinking they’d reveal some military secrets, but all they’d find would be a picture of a man in a silly pose with Tunisian flowers stuck behind his ears.
Jed says that after that column he got dozens of letters kidding him about putting flowers behind his ears, but he didn’t care.
He has avenged the loss of his camera, too. Since then, he has personally captured from the Germans an even better one to replace it, and has added a Luger and a fine pair of binoculars for good measure.
Speaks with Harvard ‘A’
Jed Dailey is an unusual person. I think I like him about as much as anybody I know. He is a pure Bostonian. He talks with a Harvard broad “A.” He is a far cry from the farm boy of the Kentucky hills, yet he commands a company of such boys, and they love him.
Following the battle at Kasserine, Jed Dailey was switched from a desk job to the command of a company of tanks. The job of company commander whether it’s infantry or tanks or what, is the greatest job in the Army – the greatest and the toughest.
The boys themselves have told me what they think of Jed Dailey. When he first arrived, they were contemptuous of that cultured accent and had little faith in him. They laugh now and tell how he tries to speak in a flat accent whenever he gives them a talk, but without realizing it lapses back into his broad A.
But he has lived that down, and all their other jokes about him. They’d go anywhere with him now, or for him. He has proved himself in many ways.
Whenever there is a battle he is in his own tank, directing his company. I just had the pleasure of seeing him get the Silver Star for gallantry in action. He has been wounded twice since I saw him in Tunisia.
Whenever his company pulls back from battle, Jed Dailey throws the small details of Army discipline out the back door and the men really get a rest. As they say, “He fights hard and he rests hard.” That’s the way the boys get the most out of it, and they appreciate it.
Likes to go bareheaded
Capt. Dailey is tall and his black hair stands up and roaches back and you’d have to call him good-looking. He nearly always goes bareheaded even in the danger zone. It is not an affectation; he simply likes to go bareheaded. He usually wears an Air Corps fleece-lined leather jacket that he once haggled out of some flier friend.
At the left shoulder of the jacket are two holes – one in front of the shoulder, one in back. The first hole is where a piece of shell fragment went in. The back hole is where it came out after going through his arm. They took a piece out of his leg to patch up his wounded shoulder.
The other officers laugh and say, “Jed wouldn’t sew those holes up for $10,000.” And another one says, “Not only that, but you can see where he has taken his knife and made them bigger.” You don’t talk like that in front of a man when you mean it. Jed just grins and says, “Sure.”
Before that he was wounded in the face from an airburst. When he got out of the hospital from his second wound, he had a week’s leave at Sorrento, the beautiful resort city below Naples. He stayed one night and then returned to his company, everybody at the rest camp thought he was crazy.
Jed said:
It isn’t that I am anxious to fight, but when you are commanding a combat outfit your place is with your outfit. You feel like a heel if you are able to be there and aren’t. I feel lots better since I got back.
Employment Service builds system to aid veterans
New lease on life is aim for every soldier and sailor returning home
By Maxine Garrison
…
Bisons retain hockey crown
…
He calls it magic –
Pittsburgh’s ‘Dunninger’ flabbergasts G.I.s
Bill McCaffrey stars at canteen
By Si Steinhauser
…
OPA may delay action on new steel prices
Outcome of wage case awaited
…
Court dismisses suit against Warner Bros.
…
U.S. State Department (April 10, 1944)
740.0011 European War 1939/33902: Telegram
The Minister in Switzerland to the Secretary of State
Bern, April 10, 1944 — 7 p.m.
[Received 10:44 p.m.]
2228
My 2204, April 8.
I was able to see Mr. Bonna this afternoon and handed him letter addressed to Mr. Pilet-Golaz as directed your 1147 and 1176 with draft drawn by Daymont. Mr. Bonna expressed his sincere appreciation and assured me that he would not fail to inform Mr. Pilet-Golaz immediately upon his return which he expected would be in time for usual meeting of Federal Council tomorrow morning at 9 o’clock. I also took occasion to say to Mr. Bonna that you planned no publicity. He thanked me and said he presumed that there would be no objection to eventual announcement here.
Mr. Bonna told [me?] the Federal Government had appointed an expert to determine damages in consultation with cantonal and city authorities and if I so desired he would be glad to arrange for a representative of Legation to follow the investigations. In his opinion criteria existed for determining material damage; it was more difficult to fix personal damages. I thanked Mr. Bonna for his offer and stated position as set forth last sentence, section II, your 1176.
HARRISON