ROOSEVELT FREE TO STAND

Southland Times, Issue 24181, 18 July 1940, Page 7

ROOSEVELT FREE TO STAND

MESSAGE READ AT CONVENTION WISH OF DEMOCRATS AWAITED CHEERING LASTS FOR 25 MINUTES (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received July 17, 11.40 p.m.) CHICAGO, July 16. A message on behalf of the President of the United States (Mr Franklin D. Roosevelt) read at the Democrat Convention has been taken to mean that he will stand for a third term if he is nominated. The President’s message vzas received with acclamation by the Convention and there were cries of: “We want Roosevelt” and “America Needs Roosevelt.” The cheering lasted for 25 minutes. It is considered by many American papers that it is almost certain that Mr Roosevelt will accept nomination if it is the unanimous wish of the Convention. American observers believe that the balloting will begin tomorrow. If the President is nominated first it _is likely that other candidates will be discouraged, but there is no indication that he will have the field to himself. Senator Alben W. Barkley (Kentucky) made the following statement on behalf of the President: “I and other close friends of the President have long known that he has no wish to be a candidate again. We know, too, that in no way whatsoever has he exerted any influence in the selection of candidates or sought the opinions of the delegates. Tonight, at the specific request and authorization of the President, I am making this simple fact clear to the convention.” The Secretary for Commerce, Mr Harry H. Hopkins, who is Mr Roosevelt’s closest Cabinet friend, predicted that Mr Roosevelt would be nominated tonight and accept because of the European war and its effects on American interests. U.S. CONTRACTS FOR WAR MATERIALS (Received July 17, 11.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, July 17. The Under-Secretary for War, Mr Louis Johnson, announced that contracts worth 150,000,000 dollars for new Army planes had closed between July 1 and 13. Also, in the same period, the War Department had closed contracts amounting to 401,000,000 dollars for all kinds of materials, including 200,000,000 dollars for ordnance. BRITISH OFFICIAL SENT TO PRISON (Received July 17, 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, July 16. After a secret trial William Gaskill Downing, an Air Ministry examiner, was sentenced at Manchester to six years’ imprisonment for making sketch- . which would be useful to the enemy in the form of photographs of an aeronautical inspection badge and* an Air Ministry pass and permit to enter certain premises. Evidence was given that Downing, who was an engineer of great skill, had lived happily with his wife, and his character had been unblemished till his association with a German girl, Lucia Strauss. GERMAN ACTION IN NETHERLANDS LONDON, July 16. It is stated that information has reached Dutch circles in London that the Reich Commissioner for the German occupied Netherlands, Dr Artur Seyss-Inquart has dismissed the entire council of the Dutch Trade Union movement. An unknown Dutch Nazi, Mynheer H. J. Woudenberg, has been appointed head of the movement. The Germans allege that the council advocated a class struggle and was constantly in contact with international Marxist organizations.