Evening star., 1926-04-07
Politics at Large
By G.. Gould Lincoln

| crdtlC DOsS OF chicago ana nauODdl
committeeman for the State of Illinois,
is spending the week end in Wash
inston, although the senatorial
primary elections in which he is a
candidate for the Democratic nomins
! tion are to take place next Tuesday
But then Mr.. Brennan occupies a
somewhat different position from
either OF the gentlemen who are striv-
ing for the Republican nomination,
Senator William B. Mckinley and
Frank l.. Smith. He has practically
no opposition. Furthermore, Mr..
!. Senate committee holding hearings on
prohibition. He is here to denounce
the VOlstead act and dema nd modif1cs
ton. Since he is making his cam
| paien for the Senate on q wet" plat
form. how better could he occupy his
| time? When he takes the stand In
Washington, with the prohibition
hearings occupying the limelight. his
remarks will be published as widely
In Illinois or more 80 than any
speech he might make in his State.
| Mr.. Brennan regards the wet
| issue as the issue OF the day. He
says 1t is, and emphatically. Not all
the "wets" are Democrats in Illinois
by any manner Of means. and Bren-
nan hopes to get a eoodly number of
Republica MS on his side during the
| campaign and on election day next
November. He will need them, II he
is to be successful. He has begun to
advertise himself as bipartisan
candidate already. He and his organ
tzstion in Chicago have placed a mum
Der OF Republicans on their ticket in
the past for election to judseships, he
points out. Why wouldn't he himself
receive Republican support In Chicag go
he argues.
There Is little doubt that sue
cess on the part Of Mr., Brennan in the
senatorial election in Illinois would bs
a great boost for the wet" cause tn,
country over. 1t Is all very well fol
the "drys" TO speak Of Chicago-ant
sven Illinois-as wet" territory. WhaI
happens in the third most populoui
state in the Union 10 bound to have
its effect in other part OF the coun
try. Furthermore, 1t would give thu
| wet" end Of the Democratic party 9
great boost--and Gov. Al Smith o
New York might benefit thereby TO s
| very great extent at the Democratic
national convention in 1928. But Mr.
Brennan denies firmly that he is 4
stalking horse for any one In his rac'
for the Senate.
The Republican national orga niza
ton, with headquarters in this city. il
taking some little satisfaction from
CONFIDENTIAL reports W hich are filter
ing In from North Dskota. They arr
more hopeful OF carrying the Stat'
for the "stalwart" candidate for tn
Senate, former Gov. Hanna. on jun
30, the date of the special election
than they have been in the pa st. Th'
reports indicate that the regulars ar
united practically solidiy behind Ha n
na There Is gossip in the same quar-
tors to the effect that Senator GerSl'
p. Nye, who was appointed by Gov
SorIie TO fill the vacancy caused b!
the death Of Senator Ladd last Sum
mer, was sent down to Washington lss'
December with the thought in soo'
ma ny Progressive minds that he woul'
not be seated by the Senate. on th'
Around that the governor was with
out authority to make appointments
to MI temporary vacancies in the Sen
ate. His acceptance by the Senat'
came somewhat as a shock 10 Others
who might, according TO the gossip
have had the appointment il they hat
desired. Be that as it may, there seem'
to be n onside rable degree OF una MIN
1 itv among the Progressives, or Non
Partisan Leasuers as they are callet
In North Dakota, supporting Senator
Nye. The NonPartisan League is very
strong in the state still. There Is M
presidential election this year. will
the added strength which a nationa
Repuplica n ticket might give to th'
stalwart candidate. In addition, Sena
tor Nye il attending TO his knitting
here In Washington and apparentl!
ia giving satisfaction to his constitu
ents at home.
The recent Republican State con
vention In kentucky went on RECORD
az favoring the nomination of Sen
ator Richard p. Ernst TO succeed
himself. There is a primary election
also in Kentucky in August. but 1t Is
foregone conclusion that the primar!
will ratify what the convention die
land Senator Ernst will be formally
nominated for the place. The Demo
Gratis are waiting around for Repre-
sentative Alben w. Barkley to an
nounce his intentions with regard Il
the senatorial nomination. He is re
arded as the most available timber
Kentucky has been regarded by th'
Democratic forecasters as one of thu
likely States in which to pick up 9
senatorial seat now occupied by a Re
publican at the elections in Novem
her. The State. however, has two
Republican Senators today, one elect
ed in the Republican landslide o.
1890 and the other elected in the NJ
less imposing Republican landslide Of
1924 The Democratic hopes for win
ming control of Senate and HOUSE
have been based largely on the
familiar swing of the political pendu
lum which so frequently has caused
trouble for an administration hal
through it's term of ofYice. Such q
swing occurred in 1922. but not with
quite enough force TO take the contro
of Senate and House from the Re
pubIicans. But the present admins
tration seems to be holding it's owr
in the affections of the country, an6
1t begins to look as though the pendu
lum would be arrested in its swing
at least for the time being.
The moro nearly the campaign sp
| proaehes the more It becomes ap
parent that the contests In various
States where there are real contests
are to be fought out largely on the
wet" and dry" issue, or on some
local issue that has really nothing
i'm common with the national party
issues. So far, at least. there seemi
to be a dearth Of national party f.
sues. The Democratic leaders have
fallen back on the time. e.honored tariff
issue. But Aven on the tariff dues
ton there seems to have been q con
siderable rawing together OF Demo
Gratis and Republicans. Two former
Democratic chairmen OF the United
States Tariff Commission and the
| present Democratic vice chairman OF
that commission have testified at the
i torial inuas stigafiQn of thu "A.