Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-05
The Political Mill
By C. Could Lincoln.


Sheppard OF Texas. He took as text
for his announcement published re-
port that there had been discord in the
Democratic Steering Committee of the
Senate when it met the other day and
determined not to oppose the seating
of Senator James j. Davis of PennSyl-
vania merely because the chairman of
the Slush FUND Committee asked the
former Secretary of Labor 10 stand
aside" until that committee had further
opportunity to inquire into the expendi-
lures MADE for the Davis-Brown ticket
n the Pennsylvania primary. Sheppard
a member OF the Steering Committee,
was quoted as saying that he had OPP
posed Roblnson's leadership in this
matter at the Steering Committee meet
ing. The Texas Senator denied this
fatty, although when the vote was
taken in the Senate he voted with
Chairman Nye of the Investigating
Committee against allowing Davis to be
seated Immediately.
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Il want to take this occa7ion," said
Senator Sheppard, in formal state
ment, ito say that in my Judgment
Senator Robinson possesses the sup
port and confidence of the Democratic
side to an extent unsurpassed by any
previous Democratic leader 1 want to
say further that l am unqualifiedly for
his reelection as leader and so Is
Senator Harris, another member of the
Democratic Steering Committee, who
was present at the meeting above re-
ferred to and who voted, as I did. in
The Senate for the Nye resolution in
regard to the seating OF Davis"
4
Senator Sheppard, in his statement
was shooting at criticisms, more or less
yelled. that have been aimed at the
leadership of Senator Robinson by
some of his colleagues in the Senate
since the opening of the session. In
deed, the criticisms go back farther, 10
the time when Senator Robinson, along
with other leaders of his party, signed
a statement indicating that the party
should not be considered merely OBJ
but that 1t would go ahead
and cooperate with the Republican
administration in the passage of meas
ures to meet the unemployment and
drought situations In this country, il
the Democrats believed these measure
wise. Probably, for the sake of party
harmony, 1t would have been wise fog
the seven Democratic leaders who
signed this statement, including Alfred
E. Smith, John w. Davis, James Cox
Chairman Raskob CT the Democratic
National Committee Senator Robinson
the party leader in the Senate, and
Representative Garner Of Texas, the
party leader in the House, to discuss
the matter with other members of the
House and Senate. At any rate, 1t did
not take a dozen hours for some Of
those who had not been consulted tt
get into action with statements criticiz-
ing this leadership.
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There is every reason to believe tina
Senator Robinson will, as Senator
Sheppard predicts, be reelected Dem
ocratic leader of the Senate. On thu
other hand, it is true that the snip.
ing at his leadership comes from mem
bers of his own party today. 1t has not
come into the open. and it may not
But there are those Democratic SEN
ators who hope that the criticisms II
the press of the course adopted by Iheil
leader. may cause him to modify his
position and become more actively an
tagonistic TO the administration.
y 4 y X
Senator Robinson and those member,
Of his party who stand with hirn-anc
they are most of those in places of re-
ponsibiiity-believe that they can &C
more for the Democratic party by seek
ing to show the country that it is con-
structive, rather than destructive, ever
II 1t means that it Is willing to &c
ahead with relief measures that are
by the administration. II
sounds like common sense. But there
are plenty of Democrats who take diff
ferent view. They see no reason why
the party should not continue to flay
the Republican administration at every
turn. They intend to do so, apparently
even if they have to fay some of theil
own party members into the bargain
A report was put forward in some
Democratic quarters yesterday tha
Senator David I. Walsh of MaSsachu-
sets was being groomed as possible
successor to Senator Robinson as Dem
ocratic leader of the Senate. Senator
Walsh took a crack at this suggestion
as soon as it was called to his attention
today.
II am positively and emphatically not
a candidate for the Office of Demo
cratic leader of the Senate" said Sena-
tor Walsh. Il would not take the jot
IL it. were offered me, which it is not
To become leader of the party in the
Senate would restrict my work for the
State of Massachusetts. My personal
relations with Senator Robinson are
very friendly"
Whether the criticism of Senator
Robinson by some of his Democratic
will assume such proportions
as to bring into the field another candi-
A. IL. La u ~ rtf
lies on the lap of the future. To whom
the Democrats opposing Senator Rob-
insons course could or would turn Is
In doubt. The South and Southwest
and the so-called border States have In
the next Congress the great bulk of the
Democratic vote in the Senate, as COM
pared to the North, the East and the
West. Indeed the count is almost
two to one in favor of the South and
and the border States, many
Of which have the same political ten
denotes as the solid South" 1t is not
likely that these States of the South
and Southwest would undertake e
Senator Robinson in favor OF
a leader from the North and East, OF
even for leader from the West.
Furthermore, Robinson, as Senator
has pointed out, has been a
strong and dominant leader on the
Democratic side of the Senate chamber
The Democrats have united behind him
In the past to a greater extent than in
the cases of many other party leaders
In that body. He is personally popular
with his colleagues. He has the trick
Of getting things done. AS matter
Of fact, the Democrats have worked to-
gether in the Senate during the Robin
son leadership better than have the Re
publicans with their conflicts between
regulars and insurgents Senator Shep-
pard has issued a challenge, in effect.
to the opponents of Robinson to bring
forward a candidate for the leadership
against the Arkansas Senator.
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In the next Congress the Democrats
will hold almost even numbers with
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