Third Term For Roosevelt

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21805, 7 November 1940, Page 7

Third Term For Roosevelt

Virtually Certain of Victory Popular Vote Lead of 4,000,000 United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received November 7, 1.30 a.m.) LONDON, November 6. WITH TWO-THIRDS of the votes counted Frank- ’’ lin D. Roosevelt (Democrat) is virtually certain of defeating the Republican candidate, Wendell L. Willkie, in the United States Presidential election. President Roosevelt has a lead of approximately 4,000,000 votes and this is expected to grow. In the electoral voting he leads in States which have 421 votes, while Mr Willkie leads in States which have only 110 votes. The Democrats will retain their majority in the Senate and House of Representatives. President Roosevelt, accompanied by his family, addressed a cheering, torch-bearing crowd from the verandah of his home soon after midnight. He said his election was not yet confirmed but “It looks all right. We have to face difficult times in this country but you will find me the same Franklin Roosevelt you have known for many years.” The crowd gave three rousing cheers and marched off with bands playing. President Roosevelt went to bed at 2.30 a.m. without making a statement. Mr Willkie, before going to bed at 1.30 a.m. was not conceding defeat. He told his followers: “The principles for which we fought will prevail. Be not afraid. 1 will never quit.” He promised to make a statement in the morning. It is expected that it will be a plea for national unity. Mrs Willkie said: “I never had public life before this campaign and I do like privacy. I like to sit behind a post or behind a fat lady.” Friends said she was vastly relieved that she would not have to act as the First Lady. Followers crowded the hotel anticipating a victory celebration.

According to earlier reports, the ‘‘New York Times” declares that victory is indicated for President Roosevelt “unless Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana reverse the strong Democratic trend at present showing. If indications continue in the same proportion, President Roosevelt will win in an electoral landslide, but the control of the House of Representatives is undecided by the early returns.” The “New York Times” adds: “President Roosevelt will also win his home State, New York, which has 47 votes, much the largest in the country.” The Republican “New York HeraldTribune” concedes President Roosevelt’s re-election. Early returns Indicate that 76 Democrats and 10 Republicans have been elected to the House of Representatives with 28 more certain Democratic seats in the southern States. At 1.30 a.m. President Roosevelt was leading in 37 States with 436 electoral votes and Mr Willkie was leading in 11 States with 95 electoral votes. The popular vote at 1 a.m. was President Roosevelt 11,747.000 and Mr Willkie 9,465,000. President Roosevelt is at present polling 58.6 per cent and Mr Willkie 41.4 per cent of the popular vote. Mr Willkie, in a broadcast, refused to concede defeat. “I am not disheartened,” he said. Mr Edward J. Flynn, in a broadcast to the nation, claimed victory for President Roosevelt. A message from Salem, Oregon, states that Senator Charles L. McNary conceded President Roosevelt’s election. According to another message the popular vote is Roosevelt 16,962,000 Willkie 13,934,000. President Roosevelt is leading in 38 States with 439 electoral votes, and Mr Willkie in 10 States with 92 votes. President Roosevelt's drive is notable for its thrust in New England and a break through in the great industrial States of the middle west. He is leading Mr Willkie in New York by 300,000, Pennsylvania by 200,000, Ohio by 100,000 and also Indiana and Illinois, all States in which it is necessary for Mr Willkie to make a clean sweep in order to be elected. If that voting trend Is continued another tremendous New Deal triumph would be in the making. The far west appeared to be going for President Roosevelt except Oregon and the solid south. Big New York Majority President Roosevelt carried New York City by a majority of 727,254. New Jersey is still for Mr Willkie but the margin is narrowing. Early Indications are that the present composition of the House will oe not greatly changed. The Democrats apparently have picked up seats in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Delaware, and Pennsylvania, but the Republicans expect to balance this by gains in the mid west. Continued Democratic control of the Senate is assured in any event because not enough Democratic seats are involved outside the solid south to change the Senate’s political complexion even if the Republicans won them all. However, Senate incumbents are leading with few exceptions. Two-thlrds of the Republican triumvirate to which Mr Roosevelt paid considerable attention to in his speeches —Messrs Martin, Barton and Fish—will be among the President’s Republican opposition in the next Congress. Messrs Martin and Fish were re-elected to the House of Representatives, but Mr Barton was defeated for the Senate There are seven presidential and vice-presidential candidates but only the Democrats and Republicans are represented in all of the 48 states. The minor candidates are:— Socialist—N. T. Kruger. Socialist-Labour—J. w. Aiken and J. W. Ford. Prohibitionists—R. W. Babson and E. V. Moorman. National Greenbacks—J. Zahnd and J. E. Yates. There are 102 candidates for 35 Senate seats and 989 candidates for 432 Representative seats.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt was born near New York in January, 1882, and is a relative of the late President ’Theodore Roosevelt, whose niece he married. He claims descent from a Hollander, who landed in New England in 1644. President Roosevelt was educated at Harvard and at the Columbia Law School. In 1907 he was admitted to tile Bar, practising in New York for the next three years. President Roosevelt made his entry into politics in 1910, when he was elected to the State Senate. His work for Mr Wilson in the presidential election of 1912 won him an appointment, the following year, as Assistant Secretary to the Navy. America’s entry Into the World War gave this post an unexpected Importance. President Roosevelt proved himself fully equal to the task and in the election campaign that followed the Allies’ victory he was chosen by the Democrats as their candidate for the Vice-Presidency. After eight years of Democrat administration, however, the nation voted overwhelmingly Republican. President Roosevelt’s political career came temporarily to an end. Victim of Infantile Paralysis When in the following year he contracted infantile paralysis as the result of an ice-cold swim, it seemed that his career was really terminated. But the future President gave proof in combating his infirmity of the same dogged determination as he has shown during his tenure of the highest and most exacting office in the country. He took an Intensive course of treatment and made a remarkable recovery, but did not regain control of his legs. However, by means of iron supports he is able to get about and he even drives a car and rides in a speciallymade saddle. President Roosevelt’s first post after his illness was the Governorship of New York State. During his two terms in that office (he was re-elected by a record majority in 1930) he attacked with rare courage the political machine of his own party on account of its corrupt administration in New York City. Such action increased his prestige in the party. At the presidential campaign of 1932 there was a swing in his favour and he was selected as candidate in place of Mr Al Smith, who had twice failed to capture the presidency. President Roosevelt was elected with a majortiy of 6,500.000 votes over Mr Hoover, the retiring President, who had stood for re-election. Narrow Escape From Assassination A few days before his inauguration President Roosevelt narrowly escaped from assassination at the hands of an Italian fanatic while visiting Miami, Florida. His friend, Anton Cermak, Mayor of Chicago, was fatally injured. In the 1936 campaign, the most amazing in America’s history, President Roosevelt secured a majority of 10,797,090 votes over his Republican opponent, Mr A. M. Landon. A man of magnetic personality and boundless energy, President Roosevelt has carried Congress with him and has obtained from the Legislature the powers he has sought. It is characteristic, perhaps, of this amazing man that in spite of the fact that many of the Acts he has got Congress to pass are not legally binding, they are still, in general, being respected by the nation.