Farley heads harmony meeting of New York State Democrats
Fourth term endorsement seen in resolution urging ‘continued direction’ of war effort
New York (UP) –
The New York State Democratic Committee unanimously reelected James A. Farley as its chairman today and unanimously approved a resolution that was interpreted as an endorsement of a fourth term for President Roosevelt.
The resolution was proposed by former National Chairman Edward J. Flynn. Endorsing President Roosevelt’s administration, it did not specifically mention his renomination and reelection.
‘Continued direction’
The resolution said:
The inevitable victory of our righteous cause can best be assured the sooner by his continued direction of the great contribution that armed America, agricultural America, and industrial America are making all over the globe in defeating the forces of tyranny.
Mr. Farley had opposed Mr. Roosevelt’s nomination for a third term ands resigned as national chairman after the 1940 convention. Today’s resolution appeared to be a compromise with state Democratic factions wanting a specific endorsement of Mr. Roosevelt as a presidential candidate this year. The Albany O’Connell faction wanted to remove Mr. Farley as state chairman.
All in 40 minutes
Passage of the resolution, reelection of officers and the unanimous election of a slate of 20 delegates-at-large to the national convention took only 40 minutes at the meeting in the National Democratic Club.
Mr. Farley and the other committee officers were placed in nomination by Frank V. Kelly, Brooklyn leader, and were seconded by George B. Doyle of Erie County, who declared from the floor:
We are most fortunate in having such a great leader as Jim Farley as our chairman.
As chairman, Mr. Farley pushed through the regular order of business with no deviation.
He said:
No one can be more proud of his friends than I am now and have been through the years. I can assure you that I will never give you any cause to regret the confidence you have placed in me.
Wants no compromise
Tammany leader Edward V. Laughlin’s call for a fourth-term draft climaxed today by completion of the pro-Roosevelt slate.
Mr. Laughlin issued his Draft-Roosevelt statement in Washington last night through the Democratic National Committee which in a session last January “solicited” the President to seek another term.
As leader of Tammany Hall, the New York County Democratic organization, Mr. Laughlin said:
There can be no compromise with ivy-towered isolationism. The blood that has been shed by our boys on the battlefields must not be in vain. We Democrats in New York support without reservation President Roosevelt and his policies.
It is appropriate that New York should take the lead in the movement to draft Franklin D. Roosevelt.
His statement followed by 48 hours a bitter attack by two Tammany district leaders upon his leadership of the New York organization. John L. Buckley and Dennis J. Mahon are assailing Mr. Laughlin on charges of “trafficking” with Rep. Vito Marcantonio, American Laborite member of Congress from a Harlem constituency, whom they accuse of being a communist intent upon swelling American Labor Party strength at the expense of the Democratic Party.
Mr. Buckley and Mr. Mahon said Monday in New York:
The endorsement of President Roosevelt or whoever may be the nominee of the Democratic Party this year by the present controlling influences of our organization would be a travesty and a liability.
Mr. Marcantonio is leader of the left-wing American Labor Party element which captured party control throughout the state in last month’s primaries.