Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-20
The Political Mill
By G. Gould Lincoln.


with the Democrats in coalition On
farm relief and tariff bills to face the
test of the ballots will be Senator Nc
Master Of South Dakots. The South
Dakota primary takes place May Q and
Senator McMaster is up this year for
denomination and reelection. George
r. Danforth, an attorney of Sioux
Falls, will oppose McMaster. He has
announced himself a regular Republic
! can, ready to support the Hoover adj
ministration on all issues that come
before the Senate. The Senator from
South Dakota, however, does not ap-
/ pear terrified at the prospect. He is
going out to his State the end of this
week to start his campaign for re-
! nomination and will speak In many
| cities and towns before the primary
election takes place Danforth has
strong backing from certain quarters,
| according to reports, and Senator NC
Master does not minimize the fight
which will be made on him. Never
theless, he believes the people OF the
| State will support him and the position
which he has taken when questions Of
particular interest to South Dakota
have come before the Senate. He was
| one Of those who voted against the con-
| firmation of Chief Justice Hughes on
the ground that men OF more liberal
economic ideas should be appointed to
the highest tribunal.
~ 4
Of the Progressive Republicans who
have been coalitionists, only four or
+, five are up for reelection this year,
and some of them have not always re-
manned with the coalition. Senator
Borah of Idaho, Senator Norris Of Ne
braska, Senator Schall of Minnesota
| and Senator Couzens of Michigan are
on the list. The denomination OF Sen
ator Borah Is taken as a matter OF
course. Senator Norris is believed to
be absolutely assur ed of denomination
and reelection. Indeed, some Of the
Democrats have urged that their party
indorse him for the senatorial nontna-
publicans. They feel this would be o
wise gesture Of friendship to the Pro-
gressives Of the West. Out In Michi-
gan and Minnesota there Is talk Of OPP
position to the denomination of the Sen
ators who must run this year. How
ever, the chances favor the renomina-
ton Of the sitting Senators, and their
reelection.
y y 4
Attempts are being made in certain
quarters to arouse opposition to the
denomination of Senator McNary of
Oregon. But the likelihood Of such
opposition seriously threatening the
continuance of Senator McNary in the
Senate seems inf1nitesimal. So far the
only candidate to come out against
Senator McNary for the senatoEial
, nomination is a wet" L. N. Sandblast
He ran fourth in the contest which
his candidacy Is not likely to cause
much of a furry In Oregon this year.
So far the interests which are opposing
MeNary have not succeeded in getting
q candidate to come forward. Efforts
have been made, however, to make 1t
appear that Senator McNary has not
been sufficiently interested In obtaining
a duty on lumber during the consideya-
ton Of the tariff bill. This seems par
watched the course of the tariff bill In
Washington. Senator McNary worked
hard in the interest of such a duty.
He has been q member Of the Senate
since 1913, when he was appointed to
that body to fill a vacancy, and he
has been twice elected Senator since
that time. He is at present chairman
of the committee on agriculture and
assistant Republican leader OF the
Senate. He is regarded here as one
of the most eficient members Of the
Senate. He had charge of the farm
marketing bill, now a law, when IL was
before the Senate and steered 1t to
victory there, despite the opposition OF
the coalition The oregon primary
takes place May 16.
\
The Montana primary does not take
place until July Is. Senator Thomas j.
Walsh, Democrat, who lifted the lid on
Teapot Dome, Is up for denomination.
There has been talk of some opposition
to his denomination, but he is regarded
as certain of being the choice Of his
party for the Senate. Republicans are
planning real campaign to defeat him
II they can in the general election IN
November. Several possible candidates
for the nomination have been men
toned. o. II. p. Shelly, former Repub-
lfcan national committeeman, already
has announced himself candidate.
Judge Galen of the State Supreme Court
has q considerable backing. He y re-
Is q dry. Republican National Commit
teeman Snitzler and Joseph NJ. Dixon,
First Assistant Secretary Of the Interior,
are also talked of as possible candidates.
Dixon ran against Senator Wheeler in
1928, but was defeated.
y
The poll Of the Literary Digest on the
subject Of prohibition is creating as
much interest as its presidential polls
in the past, perhaps more, as Q matter
Of fact The interest is not confined
either to the vets or the drys. Less
than a million returned ballots have
been tabulated and the total poll Is ex-
pected to show the sentiments Of 20,-
100000 voters. Nevertheless the tabu-
lation now published shows decided
list to the wet side of the question. Alb
solute repeal of the eighteenth amend
ment is favored by an astonishingly
large number of voters in the 40 States
and the District of Columbia which 80
far have been included in the published
list. OF a total of 703,395 ballots
recorded, 287,985 favor repeal OF the
amendment, 224141 favor modification
of the law to permit light wines and
beer and 1pl zoe favor retention and
ment and the Volstead law.
X \
In the District Of Columbia, the seat
of the National Government, the senti.
n1ent so far recorded Is strongly for re-
peal of the dry amendment to the Con-
stitution. OF the 30 States from which
returns are now published only two,
Georgia and Kansas, show those favor.
ing enforcement Of the existing law out
numbering the combined vote for re-
peal and modification. Even in these
States, the combined vote against the
existing law almost equals the vote sup
porting it. In Indiana, Nebraska, Iowa,
Ohio South Dakota. ali reputed TO be
dry, the combined votes of the repealistS
and modif1cationists outnumber those
of the supporters of the existing laws.