Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-27
The Political Mill
By C. Could Lincoln.

II II
For weeks the prediction has been
made that Pennsylvania Republican
leaders would reach an adjustment OF
their differences which have threatened
Statewide fight even more disastrous
than that of 1926. And'now it begins
to look as If the prediction would be
carried out. Announcement yesterday
by Samuel S. Lewis, who has been the
Grundy candidate for governor, that he
would withdraw from the contest in the
interest of party harmony is regarded
as the first step. Senator Joe" Grun-
dy himself is expected to make state
ment today in Philadelphia regarding
his future political plans, and the ru-
mors are that he, too, Is taking himself
out of the race.
If Senator Grundy removes himself
from the picture as an active candidate
for the senatorial nomination and the
Grundy- Mellon forces do not put into
the field another ticket for Senator and
governor, 1t looks like walkaway for
the Davis Brown ticket, with Secretary
James j. Davis of the Department of
Labor a candidate for the Senate and
Francis Skunk Brown of Philadelphia,
former attorney general, candidate for
governor. Judging from Mr.. Lewis
statement, which stressesAthe need of
party harmony, the Grundy- Mellon
forces are not going to put forward
another ticket Secretary Davis insists
that he Is in the race to stay till the
finish.
MY petition will be filed before
Monday he Ice
filing and 1t will not be withdrawn by
April Z, the last day for making with
drawals," is the way Mr.. Davis puts it.
Surely Secretary Davis has had the
breaks" in this year of grace 1880,
Judging by what has happened up to
the present time. Also he has appar-
emily shown considerable political
acumen in meeting the situation as it
has developed. When Senator Grundy
was appointed December IL, 1929, to
NIL the vacancy in the Senate caused
by the rejection of William S. Ware.
veteran political leader of Philsdei-
phia, because of excessive exwendi-
lures In the 1926 primary campaign,
it was announced that he would be
candidate for the senatorial nomi-
nation in May with the backing Of the
State Republican organization. That
meant the Melons, plus the majority of
the State organization. Notwithstand-
ing the defiant statement of Mr.. Ware
that he would seek the senatorial nomi-
nation. it was widely published that
Grundy would be nominated: that Ware
was sick man and could not make a
campaign.
The picture now is absolutely the
reverse. The "Sick man of Pennsyl-
vania" has again been the influence.
in the last analysis, which has upset
the apple cart for the Mellon Grundy
forces. Mr.. Ware at the psychological
moment withdrew his own candidacy
for the senatorial nomination, on adj
vice OF his physician, and announced
his support of the Davis Brown ticket.
Brown was his candidate for governor,
and he was willing to take Secretary
Davis as the senatorial candidate of
the Philadelphia organization. Up
there in Pennsylvania the Republican
leaders are very particular about whom
they have in the governors chair. It
means more to them, as a general rule,
than who sits in the Senate. Brown
is OF Philadelphia. The present gov
ernor, Fisher, is from the Western end
Of the State. Davis, like Senator David
A. Reed, is also from Western Pennsyl-
vania.
X X
Secretary Davis has been In the cabi-
net as Secretary of Labor for nine
years and under three Presidents He
has been popular enough with labor
and is no fanatic against the employers
Of labor He has been helpful in the
adjustment of hundreds of cases of
labor difnculties since he has been in
office. He has the Loyal Order of
Moose back of him solidly, and the
Moose are particularly numerous and
active in Western Pennsylvania, where
the Mellon strength has been. What
he lacked was the backing Of an organi-
Zation. When Mr.. Ware came out for
him and threw the Philadelphia or
ganization back of Mr.. Davis; it was a
tremendous boost for the Secretary of
Labor. 1t supplied an essential to a
successful campaign. With it back Of
in the State, the Secretary of Labor
Immediately became formidable can
didate.
1t is quite true that tremendous pres
sure has been exerted to bring Mr. Da-
Wis to withdraw from the senatorial
race. But he is Welshman, and the
Welsh are additionally stubborn. Moth
ing was able to pry him loose. And
gradually it has dawned on the Grundy-
q
fight on their hands. Many polls have
been made by both sides and they have
indicated that Grundy was not a win
ming candidate and that Davis was. To
have Secretary Mellon back Mr.. Grundy
and lose would not be particularly pal
atable. it is easy to conceive. Lewis,
Grundy's selection for governor, was
not acceptable to Gov Fisher. And
Grundy himself, according to reports,
lNOr heAV wi rIv
came to washington as Senator, which
has not pleased some of the organiza-
ton leaders in the State.
X \
Until Mr.. Grundy finally takes him
self out OF the race-and he may to-
day-and announces his course in the
coming campaign there is still an ele-
ment of doubt. A few days ago it was
suggested that Gov. Fisher, who APP
pointed Grundy to the Senate, would
benefit by the withdrawal of Grundy
and himself become a candidate for
the Senate. If Fisher should yet do
this it would mean a real fight. The
plan, as 1t was published. was to have
the chief Justice of the Supreme
Court run with Fisher as a candidate
Tor governor. The publication of this
report, however, did not move the
Davis Brown leaders except apparently
to deriSion and to statements that the
withdrawal of the Grundy-Lewis ticket
would be merely confession of
weakness
Secretary Davis, If he is nominated
will run for the short term" in the
Senate; the unexpired part of the term
for which Mr. Ware was elected in 1925.
This term expires March 3, 1888. The
Secretary Is not saying just now
whether, If he be elected he will be a
candidate for the long term in 1882.
He is not shutting the door to such a
candidacy. 1t is true, however, that he
must come I'm for recollection before