Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-10
The Political Mill
BY C. Could Lincoln.

Scarcely was the ink dry on the state
ment issued by the big Seven" of the
Democratic party, pledging to President
Hoover cooperation of the Democrats
in Congress in connection with meas
ures conducting to the welfare of the
country" when some of the Democratic
leaders not included in this big Seven"
had their hammers out. Perhaps some
of them thought they should have been
consulted first. Josephus Daniels, Sec
rotary of the Navy in the Wilson adj
ministration, in a telegram to the New
York Times, takes a swat at the state
ment of the seven" He is particularly
angry, it seems, because the seven
have not swung hard enough at the
Republican tariff law, which, Mr.. Dan
iels says, should be repealed by the
Democrats as soon as they have the
power.
Instead" Mr.. Daniels continues, cit
(the statement of the seven) approves
the Houston undeTnocratic tariff plank
and promises only to rid the country
OF its (the Smoot-Harley tariff act's)
outstanding enormities This reads like
timidity and lack of promptness and
courage"
Mr.. Daniels, however, is out of tune
with the high command of the Demo-
cratic party as it exists today. He rep
rssents the old school of democracy of
the South, low tariff, prohibition, etc.
IL was not so long ago that Mr..
Daniels was demanding the resignation
OF John j. Raskob as chairman of the
Democratic National Committee on the
ground that Mr.. Raskob thought more
OF the wet cause than he did of the
Democratic party.
Senator Thomas j. Walsh, newly re-
elected Senator from Montana, in his
nrst sentence approves unqualifledly the
statement OF the seven, and in the rest
of his message proceeds to pick the
statement to pieces.
AT the same time" says Senator
walsh, Il cannot too severely con-
denim the view that In times of stress
Such as these there should be ready
acqulescence in any proposals of the
President processing to be offered to
alleviate or improve conditions, nor can
l regard with equanimity the idea of
looking exclusively to the President for
the initiative in respect to remedial
legislation. That duty rests primarily
on the Congress, not on the President. T"
Senator Walsh also suggests that the
Democrats should go ahead and put
through the debenture plan of farm
relief, which the Hoover administra-
lon looks upon as something worse
than slow poison.
X X \ \
Senator Mcclellan of Tennessee. an
other OF the Democrats who were not
included in the list which signed the
Democratic statement, makes it clear
that he Is out to put some dynamite
under the Smoot- Hawley tariff act as
soon as the opportunity arrives.
judging from these expressions OF
opinion by at least two of the Demo-
cratic members Of the Senate, the CO.
operation pledged by the Big Seven, on
the part OF the Democ, ats in Congress
may be uncertain, not to say nebulous,
when Congress meets. 1t begins to look as
though the country would see a prompt
attempt on the part of the Democrat
and insurgent Republican controlled
Senate, and similarly controlled House
In the next Congress, to put the skids
under the Smoot-Hawley tariff bill
and to adopt the "debenture" plan
for the farmers. This is not exactly
the kind of cooperation that the Re-
publican administration is hankerine
Tor. Furthermore, moves of this kind
are likely to use up nearly all the
time OF the Congress. The statement OF
the Big Seven was moderate in tone
II.
does not seem to suit some of the Dem
ocrats, flushed with victory and intent
upon running over the G.. o. P. as fast
as possible.
Senator Henry j. Allen-,o Kansas is
one of those members of the Senate
whom election day took immediately
out OF the Senate. He was serving
under appointment of the Governor Of
Kansas. A personal friend of President
Hoover, it is represented that Mr..
Hoover would like to utilize Senator
Aliens abilities outside of the Senate.
But Mr.. Allen is not looking for an
appointive job at present, a Job which
might lessen the blow of his defeat by
McGll, Democrat. Indeed, Mr.. Allen
may undertake to stage comeback in
1882, when there will be another fight
for the Senate seat from which he has
just been ousted.
The former Senator from Kansas
was the victim of circumstances. A
large group of Republicans in the Sun
mower State were disgruntlad because
IN the primary election candidate for
Governor was chosen who did not be-
long to the so-called progressive wing
OF the party. Because of their dislike
Tor the Republican nominee, they came
out strong for the election of the Demo-
cratic nominee. Even the newspaper
formerly owned by Senator Allen, and
IN which 1t is said he still has an inter-
est, supported the Democratic nominee
for Governor and so did the Kansas
City Star. Under such Conditions it
was difficult to keep the old line, regu-
lar Republicans of the opposing faction,
lined up for Senator Allen. Vice Presi-
dent Curtis and others did their best
Tor the Republican senatorial candi-
date. But their efforts were unavailing.
with a part of the Republicans swing
ing into line for the Democrat and
stu others supporting an independent
Republican candidate for Governor.
Senator Aliens serious illness, which
kept him out of the campaign per-
sonally, was another big handicap to
him.
X y Y
The week since the congressional
elections were held has not vet expired
but the scramble is already on for the
Democratic nomination for President.
Not by the possible candidates them
selves, perhaps, but by their friends
and admirers. Roosevelt or-Presiden
clubs are organizing in New York and
In Georgia, and probably in other
States. Gov. Albert c. Richie of Mary
land is put forward as the logical and
probable nominee of the Democratic
party in 1882 by Albert Sidney Burle-
son Of Texas, former member of the
House and Postmaster General in the
Wilson Administration. Mr.. Burleson
favorS personally the nomination of
Newton D. Baker, who served with him
in President Wilson's cabinet as Secre-
tary of War. But the former POST
master General is inclined to believe
that Gov. Rttchie has the bulge, so to
speak, on the nomination. Mr.. Richie
is likely to have a good deal of support
in many sections of the country before
all is said and done. Gov. Roosevelt
in all probability will have to bear the
burden of Tammany unless he should