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Show Moguls Probe Candidates TT HAS NOW BEEN nearly foul years since Democratic party moguls met at a secret White House dinner and persuaded Franklin Roosevelt to accept Senator Truman Tru-man of Missouri as vice president. They knew then, of course, that the chances of FDR's living through the next four years were slim. Present at that dinner were Ed Flynn of the Bronx. Mayor Ed Kelly of Chicago, Mayor Hague of Jersey City and Bob Hannegan. Recently almost the same Democratic moguls convened at the White House. And despite the announcemnt that Truman Tru-man is a candidate, they still hope they can deftly dislodge from office the man they put in. They know in advance that this would not be easy for two reasons: 1. The embarrassmant of breaking the news to Mr. Truman. 2. Finding Find-ing another candidate who can win. Two years ago this would have been easy. At that time, Truman himself was saying he did not want to be president. But no man likes to retreat under fire, and Mr. Truman's ideas on this are well Illustrated by the staunch support given such friends as Ed Pauley and Brig. Gen. Wallace Graham when they were under fire for speculating.' The party moguls promised each other privately that they would be hard-boiled and tell the President the truth namely that the chance of victory with him at the head of the ticket is nil. Finding a' candidate to take Mr. Truman's place will not be easy. Chief Justice Fred Vinson of Kentucky Ken-tucky would be acceptable to the South but wouldn't arouse too much enthusiasm in the North. Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas is a great administrator and would have the advantage of probably persuading per-suading Henry Wallace to withdraw. It takes time to build up any candidate. can-didate. And while it's not too late, the sooner the Democrats get busy, the better their chances. Religion Whips Commies HARASSED SECRETARY OF STATE MARSHALL has confided to friends that he is -more worried than ever about the approaching elections elec-tions in Italy. He fears a combination combina-tion of the Yugoslavs and Italian Communists may try to take over. Meanwhile, Francesca Lodge, wife of the G.O.P. congressman from Connecticut, herself born in Italy, has received an interesting letter from an old friend indicating that the religious temper of the Italian people will win out over communism. "Life here seems to have come to a standstill,", Mrs. Lodge was informed. in-formed. "Everything is paralyzed waiting for the 'result of the elections. elec-tions. "A new wave of religious fervor seems to have come over most people. There are all sort of manifestations mani-festations In the way of the Madonna Ma-donna appearing in several places. At Assist the great statue on the top of Santa Maria Degli Angeli the romantic little church where the pilgrims used to meet coming back from the Holy Land, and where Saint Francis lived and where the rose plants have bloodstains blood-stains on the leaves well, this big statue for days now has been the center of thousands of visits froro people from all over Italy," Marshall's Aid Plan IT IS NOW NEARING ONE TEAR since General Marshall proposed what is now known as the Marshall Plan For Aid To Europe. When the plan was first proposed congress said it was too busy with routing appropriation bills and shortly short-ly thereafter adjourned for the summer. sum-mer. Last fall, as the European situation situa-tion got bad again and speedy action ac-tion on the Marshnll plan was urged, congress squawked about going back to work. Too many of Its members were away on trips. Finally when congress was convened con-vened there elapsed weeks and weeks of hearings, debate, argument argu-ment and secrrt G.O.P. meetings at the home of Kansas Isolationist Senator Reed all at a leisurely pace as If the world were perfectly per-fectly normal and there wasn't the slightest need to hurry. Meanwhile Russia has gobbled Czechoslovakia, tightened Its hold on Finland and Is preparing for an early strike at Italy. After that, France. Some Republicans notably Ma-lone Ma-lone of Nevada, Ecton of Montana and Wherry of Nebraska are too dumb to know what the world situation situa-tion is all about. But other G.O.P. obstructionists among them Know-land Know-land of California and Ball of Minnesotaare Min-nesotaare smart enough to realize that a few millions of dollars spent now can save thousands of livet later. So far, however, they haven't The debate In congress boils dowr to the fact that either the Marshal plan Is worth voting or it Isn't I) It's to be dragged out until aftei Russia swallows Europe then H might as well bt kissed oft rlgh' now. Congress should make up iti mind and fast' |