ROOSEVELT RE-ELECTED

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 November 1944, Page 5

ROOSEVELT RE-ELECTED

CLEAR WIN FOR PRESIDENCY 1

DEMOCRAT HOUSE & SENATE

Isolationists Not Supported

LONDON, November 8.

The latest returns in the United States Presidential election give Mr. Roosevelt such a commanding lead that his re-election for a fourth term is certain. Mr. Roosevelt’s Republican opponent, Mr. Thomas E. Dewey, Governor of New York State, conceded defeat in a broadcast early this morning with the words: “It is clear that Mr. Roosevelt has been re-elected for a fourth term.” He offered Mr. Roosevelt his congratulations, which the President acknowledged immediately by. telegram. . „„ „ Latest returns give Mr. Roosevelt a lead in 34 of the 48 States. On this basis the President commands 407 electoral votes and Mr. Dewey 124. On the popular vote Mr. Roosevelt has 18,500.455 votes and Mr. Dewey 16,240,577. , Among the key states won by Mr. Roosevelt are New York (47 electoral votes), Pennsylvania (35), Illinois (28), and California (25). Returns for New York give the President a greater majority than in 1940. Mr. Dewey held a Press conference at 3.15 a.m., when he told more than 300 reporters and photographers that it was' clear that Mr. Roosevelt had been re-elected for a fourth term. He said .he was confident that, all Americans would join him in the hope that Divine Providence would guide and protect the President. Mr. Dewey extended to Mr. Roosevelt his hearty congratulations and wishes for prosperity, victory, and lasting peace.

The Presidential secretary (Mr. Stephen Early), ar an early morning Press conference, said that no telegram from Governor Dewey or any message other than his broadcast remarks had been received at the President’s home so far. However, having heard the broadcast, Mr. Roosevelt had sent Mr. Dewey the following telegram: “I thank you for your statement, which I heard over the air a few minutes ago.”

HOW STATES WENT. When the election score sheets were about half finished, Mr. Roosevelt went ahead throughout the country except in the corn belt. In spite of the earlier revolts in Texas, Mississippi, and South Carolina, Mr. Roosevelt secured the Solid South and the five border States. He was far ahead in the mountain and western States and had a comfortable lead in the east and north-east. Later Mr. Roosevelt’s margin increased sufficiently to eliminate pre-election uncertainty over the services’ votes, counting of which is deferred in 11 states. Mr. Dewey had margins in 14 states —Colorado, Indiana, lowa, Kansas, Maine. Michigan, Nebraska, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Vermont, Wisconsin, and Wyoming—but even some of these were very close and may go to Mr. Roosevelt. Mr. Augustus Bennett defeated the isolationist Congressman, Mr. Hamilton Fish. Mrs. Margaret Connors (Democrat) conceded the re-election of Mrs. Clare Booth Luce (Republican), a bitter opponent of Mr. Roosevelt. Mrs. Connors at one stage led by nearly 4000 votes. Mr. Sydney Hillman, chairman of the Political Action Committee of the Congress of Industrial Organisations, which is admitted to have played a big part in Mr. Roosevelt’s re-elec-tion, said that the American people had reaffirmed the faith and confidence they reposed in a great American and an outstanding leader. The election was a stunning repudiation of the anti-Labour, isolationist, and defeatist element who had based their campaign on bigotry and prejudice. , , , Labour provided shock troops for Mr. Roosevelt’s victory, says the Associated Press. “From early until late America’s home front army of war workers from factories, mines, and offices filed into the polls to pile up a record war time vote. Spear headed by the C. 1.0. Political Action Committee, a new force arose in this election for a task usually performed by party workers. Mr Dewey defeated Mr. Roosevelt in Hyde Park, the town where the President resides, and also carried Poughkeepsie, with 10,304 votes to Mr. Roosevelt’s 9,548. Senators elected include Senators Alben. Barkley (Democratic Leader of the Senate), Wagner. Tydings McMahon. Hayden. Thomas (Oklahoma). and Thomas (Utah). The first Senate turnover occurred when an isolationist Republican, Mr. John Danaher (Connecticut) was defeated by the Democrat, Mr. Brian McMahon. SERVICEMEN’S SUPPORT. (Rec. 9.30 a.m.) NEW YORK, November 8. The “New York Times” says: Mr. Roosevelt’s decisive victory removed the possibility that the outcome might hinge on the soldiers’ vote, in some of the 11 States that delayed counting their war ballots, but partial returns from other States, which have already counted their war ballots, made it clear the services’ votes would be a strong factor in building up the Com-mander-in-Chief’s final majority. The “New York Times’s” Chicago correspondent says Mr. Roosevelt appears to have won a smashing victory for Illinois (28 electoral votes). The latest figures show that Roosevelt is leading in New Jersey. GERMAN CONCERN LONDON, November 8. The German News Agency maintained its service all night on the course of the American Presidential election. Minute to minute reports were poured out under either Amsterdam or New York date lines, giving the election returns without comment.

News of Mr. Roosevelt’s re-election was flashed over the German radio early this morning.

LATER FIGURES. ROOSEVELT’S. STRONGER LEAD. (Rec. 11 a.m.) NEW YORK, Nov 8. Franklin D. Roosevelt has won nis fourth term as President of the United States. On the latest figures he is leading in 34 States carrying 407 electoral votes, while Thomas Dewey leads in 14 States with 124 electoral votes. . ~ With more than two-thirds ol the votes counted the figures are:—- n Roosevelt . . ■ ■ 19,721,303 Dewey .. .; ■ ■ 17,299,523 The latest figures of voting for the House and Congress are:— Representatives: Democrats 195, Republicans 112, Progressives one, Labour .one, undecided 126. Senate: Democrats 51, Republicans 30, Progressives one, undecided 14. By virtue of his substantial majority of 769,849 in New York City Mr. Roosevelt carried New York State, the latest figures giving Mr. Roosevelt 3,233,467 and Mr. Dewey 2,907,618, which is a more substantial margin for Mr. Roosevelt than he obtained against Mr. Wendell Willkie in 1940. 1 . Up-State New York is predominantly Republican, nevertheless Mr. Roosevelt won Syracuse by 4000. In 1940 Mr. Willkie carried Syracuse by 10,000. n . . ~ Mr. Roosevelt is leading in the following States,, with a total of 407 electoral votes: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts. Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Caiolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia . The Associated Press says it is apparent that the Democrats have checked, if not reversed, the Republican Governorship trend that started in 1938. The Democrats have scored a Governorship upset in Missouri, and threaten six more of the 2o Republican Governorships. WHITE HOUSE EXCITEMENT Mr. Roosevelt, at 3.50 a.m. pushed aside the litter of election charts, dull-pointed pencils, and pieces or paper covered with figures and went to bed after a familiar experiencebeing elected President of the United States, says the United Press. MrRoosevelt refused to go to bed until he knew he had licked his opponent, though he felt the outcome was obvious before Mr. Dewey had admitted defeat in' a nationwide radio message. When the White House staff heard Mr. Dewey’s broadcast they exploded with shouts: “We are in again!’ They slapped each other’s backs. The President then went to bed tired but jubilant. Senator Truman said: It was a grand statement by Mr. Dewey. It shows American sportsmanship in this campaign. . n , Nebraska voters decisively rejected the proposal to impose State-wide prohibition by over a 2 to 1 majority. The Associated Press Washington correspondent says: Mr. Roosevelt’s election makes an early meeting with Mr. Churchill and Mr. Stalin virtually certain. The “New York Sun’s” Washington correspondent says the Roosevelt Administration has so far not gained the commanding mathematical lead necessary to curb the working coalition between the Republicans and the Southern Democrats which now dominates legislation in the House of Representatives, but the Associated Press Washington correspondent says that with the 79th Congress predominately Democratic, Mr. Roosevelt’s intimates in the Senate can route international commitments, and perhaps even the final peace treaty, through the legislative machinery. « PRESIDENT AND LADY. A leading isolationist, Senator Gerald Nye (Republican, North Dakota), an outstanding foreign policy obstructionist in the Senate, conceded the election of his Democratic opponent, John Moses. When Clare Boothe Luce’s defeat appeared possible, Mr Roosevelt said: “The deieat of Mrs. Luce would prove a mighty fine thing for the country and that is a rough thing to say about a lady.” At that stage Miss Connors was 4000 votes ahead, but later returns gave Mrs. Luce a majority of 400 in a total vote of 200,000. Mrs. Luce to-day declined to comment on Mr. Roosevelt’s remarks.

The “World-Telegram” columnis 4 , says: The regular Democratic Party did not win the victory. Labour, militant, alert and organised as never previously, deserves credit for Mr. Roosevelt’s re-election. Labour was also educated to the great issues of the war and peace. Latest figures of the popular vote give Roosevelt 21,724,603 and Dewey 19,155,488. As the tabulations piled up it became more apparent that Dewey could claim only the Middle West as his own. That was where he got most of his States and most of his electoral votes. Roosevelt had a clean sweep in the 11 southern and five border States, while the east and far west went as strongly for him as the mid-west did for Dewey. The complete election picture will not be known until December 5, when the Service votes will be counted. Isolated tallies indicate that Service personnel are voting for Roosevelt in the proportion of five to three L The Associated Press points out that the Republicans never had a chance to control the Senate, which must approve treaties —for peace or anything else —by a two-thirds majority. but they believed they might whittle down the Democratic strength. Thus far, however, the Democrats’ net gain is one seat. The Democrats previously had a shaky margin of control in the House ot Representatives, but the latest figures give them an additional 18 seats, having won 24 and lost six.

LONDON PRESS COMMENT. (Rec. 1.25) LONDON, Nov. 8. “The whole world, conscious of magnitude of the *stake. watched the American contest with tense interest, says “The Times” editorially. “Nothing to-day need restrain the warpath of greetings and congratulations which all the free peoples will desire to extend to a tried and trusted friend. What the American electors have demonstrated beyond the remotest doubt is their broad confidence in the President’s conduct of the war, and their firm determination to see it through to a victorious conclusion under his leadership, before they turn aside to other business.