LOOKING TO 1940.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 182, 4 August 1939, Page 8

LOOKING TO 1940.

AMERICAN POLITICS,

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

ROOSEVELT'S THIRD TERM ?

"Every major political move in the United States to-day is governed by the | nearness of the 1940 elections." said Dr. j A. Martyn Finlay, of Dunedin. who returned by the Monterey to-day after two vear's' post-graduate study abroad the second vear of which was spent at the Harvard Law School, under a research fellowship. "In the last two months the struggle has narrowed down to a right between progress and reaction," continued Dr. Finlav. "The formation of the so-called economy block, or 'middle of the road Democrats,' has considerably altered the balance of forces in Congress, and efforts have been concentrated on sabotaging President Roosevelt's New Deal. It is not yet clear whether the holding up of various measures will produce a depression before the elections and thus enable opponents of the President to charge him with having undermined prosperity." On' the vital question whether the President would stand for a third term, i no definite view could be formed at present, he said. It was doubtful whether : the President himself knew what decision he would make. He had been trying a number of New Deal men in important administrative posts, apparently to size them up as possible Presidential candidates, but so far had not committed himself in any way. These men had included Mr. : Harry Hopkins, Mr. Frank Murphy, Mr.

Robert M. Jackson and Mr. Paul McNutt. Also prominent was the able Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Cordell Hull.

'•Mr. Roosevelt would prefer not to run for a third term," stated Dr. Finlay, "but his personal appeal continues to be so great that he may have to stand again. Straw votes recently held indicate that his majority would be reduced, but would be sufficient to ensurehis return."