Roosevelt visiting home valley today
Hyde Park, New York (UP) –
President Roosevelt went calling on his neighbors of the Hudson River Valley today, following his usual custom of concluding his campaign on home grounds.
The President had cold weather for his open-car trip to the towns around his home here. There were light snow flurries almost until the time Mr. Roosevelt left his house, when the snow stopped and the sun peeked through a murky overcast.
Mr. Roosevelt went first to the Nelson House in Poughkeepsie to pick up Jim Benson, Dutchess County Democratic chairman, then headed for Wappinger Falls, Beacon, Newburg and Kingston before returning lo Poughkeepsie for a little afternoon speech at the post office.
Speech at 10:00 tonight
Tonight, he makes a nationwide broadcast based on this thesis: A full turnout at the voting booths will be an act by the people at home to protect the right of a free vote for the men fighting overseas.
All networks will broadcast Mr. Roosevelt’s speech at 10:00 p.m. EWT.
There was another factor in the drive by the President and his campaign advisers for a record-breaking vote. Most of the higherups in the Democratic Party believe the President’s reelection chances increase in direct ratio to the size of the vote – the more votes, the heavier the odds on Mr. Roosevelt.
The President spent Sunday touring his Hudson River estate and working over war dispatches with his Chief of Staff, Adm. William D. Leahy.
Country gentleman’s day
Tomorrow, the President will follow his custom of past years by motoring the short distance from his estate to the old town hall in Hyde Park where he will confront his old friend and election official, Mrs. Emma Crapser, give his name and occupation – “tree grower” – and then cast his vote.
Yesterday at Hyde Park was relatively quiet. A pouch of important dispatches was flown in from Washington. Others came in by radio for the President and Adm. Leahy.
For the most part, he spent the day of a country gentleman, going out in the late afternoon for a brief drive around his property – driving his own open car.
Meanwhile, his campaign advisers and immediate staff were ecstatic about the way “the boss” came through what they considered an arduous campaign schedule. Everybody in the Roosevelt camp was confident of victory tomorrow and the general feeling was that Mr. Roosevelt will be reelected by a substantial margin.
Governor Dewey resting second straight day
Albany, New York (UP) –
Governor Thomas E. Dewey took it easy today, his vigorous campaign for the Presidency over except for a nationwide broadcast tonight to urge Americans to exercise the rare wartime privilege of casting a ballot, regardless of their choice.
All networks will broadcast Mr. Dewey’s speech at 11:00 p.m. EWT.
The Republican candidate’s advisers anticipated that the broadcast would reach the largest audience of the campaign, but Mr. Dewey was expected to confine his remarks to a plea for a record vote, which in itself would be a challenge to Democratic claims that President Roosevelt’s fourth-term chances will be in direct ratio to the size of the popular vote.
Two days of leisure
Governor Dewey consented to having the fiery speech he delivered Saturday night in New York City rebroadcast at 9:30 p.m. EWT over the Mutual Network.
It was the second straight day of rest for the youthful candidate. Mr. Dewey arose leisurely Sunday, boarded the special train which carried him on his 20,000-mile campaign tour at noon in New York, and went immediately to the Executive Mansion after arriving here.
The crowd in the New York railroad station applauded the GOP candidate and Mrs. Dewey as they walked to their train. Mr. Dewey appeared ready to stand on his campaign argument that “it’s time for a change” and his promise, if elected, of “the biggest Washington housecleaning in history.”
Charges and promises
Governor Dewey visited 22 states in his campaign, with stops ranging from railroad station appearances to nationwide radio speeches. He charged that the Roosevelt administration failed to provide jobs in peacetime, had become “tired and quarrelsome in office,” had prolonged the war through “confused incompetence” and “improvised meddling,” and now seeks to sell out the Democratic Party for self-perpetuation.
He promised “to speed total victory and the prompt return of our fighting men by putting energy and competence in Washington behind the magnificent effort of our military command,” “to provide American leadership in the world for an effective organization among all nations to prevent future wars,” and “to direct all government policies in the peacetime years ahead to achieve jobs and opportunity for every American.”
Mr. Dewey will leave Albany tomorrow morning, probably by train, for New York City, where he will cast his vote at a 48th Street polling place. He will go to his New York hotel suite to listen to election returns.