 It's time for the Lorne Jean Chronoscope, a television journal of the important issues of the hour, brought to you every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. A presentation of the Lorne Jean Wittner Watch Company, maker of Lorne Jean, the world's most honored watch, and Wittner, distinguished companion to the world-honored Lorne Jean. This is Frank Knight. May I introduce our co-editors for this edition of the Lorne Jean Chronoscope? Mr. William Bradford Huey, editor of the American Mercury, and Mr. Henry Haslett, contributing editor of Newsweek Magazine. Our distinguished guest for this evening is the Honorable James A. Farley, former United States Postmaster General. The opinions expressed are necessarily those of the speakers. Well, Mr. Farley, you've established a remarkable position as a prophet, so I'm going to begin right away by asking you the $64 question, who's going to win the election? Well, at the present time, I would say the Governor Stevenson is going to be elected. Well, what do you think? Why do you think so? Well, in the first place, I have every reason to feel that he's going to carry all the southern states, despite all the gossip and talk that goes on. I feel that he should carry in Maryland, and West Virginia, and Missouri, Arizona, and New Mexico, Nevada, and Rhode Island. And in the light of the present situation with Governor Devere running in Massachusetts for reelection, and Jack Kennedy running against slides, that's a strong ticket up there. They ought to carry Massachusetts for the Democrats. All he needs is a couple more states, New York, and Illinois, or Michigan, or California. What will be the principal issue as you see it in the campaign? Well, I think prosperity will be the principal issue. Down through the history of American politics, it's been shown that we very rarely voted administration out of office when people are working. And over 62 million people are working now, and it has been stated in the newspapers recently that they expect that there'll be over 63 million people working next October or November then. That being a fact, that should be helpful to the party in power. It always is. It hasn't got its other side, the inflation, the disappearance, the rotting of the dollar, the fact that the government bonds only have the purchasing power of one-half of what they had in 1939 and so on. Yeah, that has an effect. It's bound to have an effect, but in my judgment, that has an effect on what might be termed a smaller segment of the population. Now, the laboring man who was working in any phase of labor's activities, he doesn't look into that inflation situation. Why? He's disturbed about the prices, and he's disturbed about his take-home pay, but the fact that he's working... Makes his wife worried about the prices he has to pay. Yes, of course she's working, but of course she's worried about the prices. The women in all fields of activity are worried about the prices. The fact remains, if the man is working and has a steady job, so to speak, he isn't as concerned as he would be if he was without a job. Well, I take it then, Mr. Farley, that you think the campaign song Don't Let Them Take It Away is a rather apt one. Well, I thought it was rather catchy. I enjoyed it in the Chicago Convention, as a matter of fact. If I had anything to do with running the Democratic National Committee or the campaign itself, I would use that song. I think it's rather effective. At any rate, it's catchy. Well, sir, I think the big development at this moment is the one by which a good many people seem to think that General Eisenhower is slipping. The best evidence of that is that the Scripps-Howard newspapers have come out editorially and warned the general that he is slipping, and some of the people who want to support him are a little bit disappointed. Now, number one, sir, as a political realist, do you think that's true? Do you think that Eisenhower is slipping? Well, I've had a sort of a feeling that the general has been slipping from the time he was nominated. The situation in the Chicago Convention, the bitterness that was engendered there, caused the tax supporters in a large measure to feel unfriendly, and I don't see any evidence that that situation has been clarified. We had that difficulty in 1932. There was a lot of bitterness, but we made every effort as quickly as we could after the convention was over to bring all the dissident elements, so to speak, into the party. Well, if you're not in the business of giving advice to the Republicans, Mr. Farley, but what do you think that the general Eisenhower should do if he wants to stop slipping? Well, he's surrounded by men who are assumed to be competent political advisers and would appear to me that it's up to them to survey the situation and to take the steps to arrest the situation I think that is evident to every competent political observer. Well, you have so many friends on both sides of the fence now, Mr. Farley, that I think you can afford to be a bit objective. Now, as a political realist, why is Eisenhower slipping? Well, he hasn't spoken out, I don't think, for want of a better way to put it. He's fiddled around with some of these issues. I see Nixon is for McCarthy, for instance, one day and he's against them the next. I don't think the general has taken what might be called a prosecutor's position or a definite stand on many of these issues. And I think many of his supporters and those who were wholeheartedly for him and still are disappointed in the way in which the campaign has been conducted. I don't know who's to blame for that and it isn't for me to be telling the Republicans how to run their show. I'm trying to be honest on my answer to the question tonight. It's your belief that that trend is going to continue and that Stevenson will get stronger and Eisenhower perhaps will get weaker as the campaign develops? I would think that Stevenson would get stronger and I'll tell you why. Stevenson will have, as evidenced now, by what has happened, he will have a large segment of the labor population working for him. Those labor organizations are very effective and they work hard and they'll do a good job for Governor Stevenson, the Democratic ticket. I was sort of feeling that the colored vote will in a large measure stay within the Democratic ranks. Now there may be some people who would disagree with that statement but I think it can be said without fear of contradiction that greater gains have been made. How about the nomination of Senator Sparkman and his known position pretty much against FEPC? Well I don't think that that will have a very serious effect because the Republican attitude has been more or less wishy-washy and I would believe that the colored people knowing the progress that has been made under Democratic rule the last 20 years would have every reason to expect that they'd receive the same kind of aid and just assistance. And certainly more likely to receive it there than they would under a new administration. Now that's just an observation of mine in answer to your question. There was some feeling, Mr. Farley, at their Democratic convention. I believe there was some feeling that maybe you had a part in it and that you, Stevenson and nominating Stevenson in the way it was handled, Stevenson may have alienated some of the left. Now some of the extreme left supporters of the Democratic party. Now do you think that that may be true that some of those people may be a little less enthusiastic? Well I'll ask your question by asking a question. Where can they go? Well they can stay home can't they? Yes they can but in my view, no I don't think so. I think in a large measure they will stay within the Democratic party. Now what about on the other side? Where can those that extreme right go? Colonel McCormick says he's just not going with us now. Well there isn't any doubt that some of that element, the same as some of the element on the left side on the Democratic party as you referred to, are likely to stay home. But I think a larger percentage of the Republicans are likely to be affected in the Democratic party. Now there isn't any doubt that there was an extreme better is developed in the Chicago convention and the Taft supporters are certainly to some degree at least sitting on their hands. I think a large measure will depend on what Senator Taft does. As a matter of fact it isn't as much of what Senator Taft does as what the county chairman does and the district workers. Now how seriously are they affected? How seriously have they been affected? In the middle west let's for instance as a result of Senator Taft's failure. Well Mr. Farley on August 11th the Gallup poll came out with a report which gave Eisenhower 47% of the vote and Stevenson only 41. Now don't you take those figures very seriously or do you think they're going to evaporate by election day? I don't like to say anything about polls but all you have to do is go back and figure out what happened in 48. They didn't hit it too well then. The prognosticators went wrong too. They all went wrong. They all went wrong. I don't want to say anything unkindly about the poll now. But regardless of the poll, basing it on the picture as I see it, I believe the Democratic organization will function as an organization over the country. Better than the Republican organization and I have a sort of a feeling that the farm vote are not going to leave the Democratic party in large numbers because as a fellow said whether you like it or not. The farmers have made greater gains under the Democratic administration in the last 20 years by virtue of the subsidies than they ever made under the protective tariff afforded by the Republican. Didn't the farm vote more or less go to the Republicans in 1950? Well, they shifted in the Congressional election but in 48, it was amazing the way Mr. Truman got those farm states. Mr. Farley, you have such a well-grounded reputation as a prophet. I'm sure that our viewers want to get once again just your prediction across the country. Now you think the entire South will remain for Stevenson? Why would say so, yes. And you think border states such as Maryland and Missouri, Kentucky? West Virginia and Kentucky, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada. I'm not prepared to say what would happen in Washington or Oregon. I would be inclined to think at the moment that Washington should be in the Democratic column and also Montana. I think that you think that the Democrats would carry the House. Oh yes, I would think now as of now the Democrats would carry the House and not have too much difficulty in carrying the Senate. You mentioned the Massachusetts race a moment ago. There's a lot of interest there and Mr. Kennedy was on this program recently. How do you think that Senate race will go between Kennedy and Lodge? Well, as of the moment I would think that Kennedy will defeat Lodge. Lodge has been very strong down through the years. He's been strong over what might be termed the Irish voters. His father or grandfather in other days or the old senator. I forgot what the relationship was. He was very strong in Massachusetts. But I think that the present senator has lost a lot of ground, particularly during the convention in the sense that young Jack Kennedy was a World War hero and he's well and favorably known. And I'll be terribly disappointed if Kennedy doesn't defeat Lodge. And I think then you expect Massachusetts to go for Stevenson too. I would say so as of the moment. Mr. Farley, I'm sure that our audience very much appreciates these statements from you, sir. Ladies and gentlemen, our distinguished guest this evening was the Honorable James Farley, America's most distinguished political prophet. The traditional presentation gift to symbolize achievement, honor or respect is a fine watch. And the watch of highest preference is Laun Jean, the world's most honored watch. No other watch has become so much a symbol of achievement. Laun Jean watches are made to a single high standard of quality, the unique Laun Jean standard. 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