Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-14
When Democrats Fall Ont

PRESIDENT Hoovers appointees to the
new Federal Power Commission have
been heard by the Senate Interstate
Commerce Commission. which is con-
sidering the nominations. Action on
the nominations may be taken by the
committee Monday. In the cases of
two of the appointees, contest in the
committee is the aftermath of political
rows among the Democrats in Louisi-
ana and North Carolina. Marcel Gar
caud OF New Orleans, appointed by the
President as one Of the minority party
members OF the commission, is opposed
by Gov Huey Long, recently elected
Senator of Louisiana. Gov. Long sent
emiSsaries to appear before the COM
mittee yesterday in opposition to Col
Garcaud The other minority party
member of the commission selected by
the President is Frank r. McNinch of
Charlotte, N. c., who opposed the cleo
ton Of Alfred E. Smith, Democratic
nominee for President in 1928 The
Democrats In North Carolina who re-
manned regular in that election are
seeking in every way to prevent con-
firmation of the appointment. Mr. Nc
Ninch told the committee that he voted
for President Hoover in 1928, but sup
ported all the rest of the Democratic
ticket that year, including the candi-
date for Congress He classes himself
as an independent Democrat"
Whether President Hoover can APP
point an independent Democrat" to
the Power Commission and get away
with 1t remains to be seen. The late
President Woodrow Wilson appointed
several independent Republicans" to
Federal commissions as Republicans
who in 1912 did not support Mr..
Taft, Republican nominee for Presi-
dent. Indeed, one of Mr., Wilson'S
appointees, Edward Costigan, placed
upon the Tarin Commission as a mi
nority party member, was at that time
one Of the independent Republicans who
did not favor the Taft candidacy, but
did favor Mr.. Wilson. Mr.. Costigan is
now Senator-elect from Colorado, where
he made the race as a Democrat.
Democrats in the Senate take the
position that President Hoover is In
duty bound to appoint the regular
Democrats to the Power Commission.
1t has been pointed out, however, that
the law does not state that Democrats or
Republicans shall be appointed, but
merely restricts the appointments to
not more than three of the same DO
litical party. Mr.. McNinch asserts en-
phatically that he has been q Demo-
crat all his life until the bolt In 1928,
when he supported Mr.. Hoover. He
went into the Democratic senatorial
primary this year and voted for Sena-
tor Simmons. He admitted that in
the general election he did not vote
for the Democratic nominee for SEN
ator, Josiah w. Bailey, who had de-
feated Senator Simmons, and also that
he voted for Representative Jonas, Re-
publican member of the House from
his congressional district. So far as
the remainder of the ticket was con-
cerned. he voted Democratic, he told
the committee. His support of Mr..
Jonas was support given to an old
friend. He did not campaign for him.
Under the terms of the law it appears
clear that President Hoover, If he so
desired, might appoint three Repub-
licans, one Farmer-Laborite and one
Socialist to the Power Commission. 1t
remains TO be seen whether the dom
inant factor in the Democratic party in
North Carolina, represented by Senator
eject Bailey, is to be successful in its
contest TO prevent the confirmation Of
Mr.. McNinch. The same situation ex-
lists with regard to the Louisiana APP
pointment. Huey Long has reached out
to stop the confirmation of Garcaud, a
political foe.