POLITICAL NOTES: Roosevelt, Farley & Co.

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His only adventure in politics up to that time had been his appearance as an Alaskan delegate at the 1920 Democratic convention which nominated James M. Cox and Franklin Roosevelt. In 1928 he appeared in John J. Raskob's waiting room carrying a brief case full of figures, but that Democratic National Chairman was much too preoccupied to see the hefty young amateur. Hurja's service in that campaign was limited to a few menial political jobs performed for the late Terence F. McKeever, Tammany district leader. By 1932 Hurja knew his way around Wall Street better. Among his acquaintances were such men as Bernard Mannes Baruch, Bernard ("Sell 'Em Ben") Smith and Frank C. Walker, Montana lawyer. Mr. Walker introduced Mr. Hurja and his sheets of figures to Democratic Chairman James Aloysius Farley. In June that year Mr. Hurja again served as delegate from Alaska at the national Democratic convention, continued on at Party headquarters as an aide to Mr. Farley in the statistical analysis of political trends.

Sixth Sense. Emil Hurja seemed to possess a sixth sense for predicting the regional outcomes of the 1932 election. His only notable error that year was in estimating that Roosevelt would carry Pennsylvania. In most other states his estimates of Democratic majorities were within 2,000 to 10,000 of the final results. In the eight Rocky Mountain States his forecasts were in error by an average of only 564 votes per state. When the votes were counted at the polls, he became an important man in Democratic politics. He had proved that he could count elections before they were hatched.

Yet Hurja's value to the Party consisted chiefly in keeping well out of the spotlight, leaving the speech-making to professional leather-lungs. Practically unknown to the public at large, he went home to Crystal Falls to vote in the 1934 election. A local paper sent a reporter to interview him. Although that region had always elected a Republican to Congress, Mr. Hurja told the reporter that the Democratic candidate would be elected by a majority of about 3,460 votes. His prediction was published under the headline "The Crystal Gazer from Crystal Falls." The Democratic majority was 3,017.

Staff Work. This year the political firm of Roosevelt, Farley & Co. approaches the November election in a high state of hope. The head of the firm, despite sporadic booing, remains extraordinarily popular with customers who must be resold. His health holds up as well as his glowing confidence. His campaign will be simple: "Things are getting better & better. We planned it that way. Let's have four years more of Democratic Recovery." The Party debt has been cleared away and millions of voters living on government bounty will not be allowed to forget who feeds them. And, above all, the Republicans have no one candidate now in sight who can fire the country with personal enthusiasm.

Postmaster General Farley, No. 2 man in the business of getting Franklin Roosevelt reelected, is no Mark Hanna, but he does know the practical operations of a political machine. The sophisticated may jeer at him, the righteous denounce him, but ward bosses understand his language and appreciate his friendly slap on the back.