Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-05
The Political Mill
By G. Could Lincoln.

II Il
Congress has gone and the Demo-
cratic National Committee has arrived
President Hoover Is reported to be
pleased with the going of the legisla-
tors, and he may be pleased yet by the
arrival of the Democrats for their
first confab since the 1928 campaign
II the Democrats get by without q
they will be lucky. The President has
nine months to look forward to with
out having Congress on his back
If the reports in the newspapers are
correct, the country, like the Presi-
dent, Is glad of a respite from the tur-
MOL on Capitol Hill. This next nine
months is expected to make or mar the
chances Of the G.. o. p. and the Presi-
dent in the coming national campaign
If conditions improve, II man and
woman voters get back the jobs they
is not another drought, the chances
for the Republicans will look up. Also,
under such circumstances the friends
of national prohibition may take new
lease on life, and be able to stem the
tide which has been running fairly
strongly against them. If times con-
tinue hard, however, the Democrats
and the vets are both likely to prosper
~ -
Whatever the Democratic Nationa
Committee does or does not do about
prohibition at the meeting here, it il
regarded as almost certain that the
next Democratic nominee for President
will be a wet. The Republicans, un-
less Mr.. Hoover himself steps aside
are expected to renominate the Prest-
dent. There has been nothing to
indicate so far that the President
will espouse the wet cause. 1t looks like
another hook-up between dry Repuo.
lican candidate for President and wei
Democrat in 1882. II times grow bet
lost in the shuttle. If they do not i'm
prove, the vets will run strongly or
the coat-tails of economic depression
and the desire Of the people for g
change.
Just because the Democratic nominal
ton looks to be worth more right now
than at any time since Woodrow Will
son was elected last, the struggle for
the presidential nomination is growing
apace. The supporters of Franklin
d. Roosevelt, Governor of New York
for the nomination, are not at al
pleased with the maneuvering Of Chair
man John j. RaSkob of the Democratic
National Committee, if the rumors are
correct. Raskob is believed to favor
the nomination of Owen D. Young
chairman of the board of the General
Electric, and, barring that, the selection
again of Alfred E. Smith himself. Roose-
welt is one of those who are inclined to
soft-pedal the prohibition issue In the
coming campaign and give particular
emphasis to economic questions, among
them water power. Al Smith and
Raskob believe that prohibition needs
attention and they figure it is an issue
they can carry lot of big States on
Former Gov Smith frankly says he does
not believe the people will be stirred up
greatly over the water power issue.
\ X
No one knows for sure whether there
Is any real split between Roosevelt and
Smith, although it Is rumored. Rcose-
welt was heartily congratulated by Ras-
kob at the time he came out in oppo-
sition to a continuance Of national pro-
hibition and for a return of the con-
troll of the liquor traffic to the States.
But Mr.. Raskob, unless all reports are
at fault, Is more anxious to bring about
prohibition repeal or revision than he
Of the progressive measures which
Roosevelt advocates. Roosevelt seems
to have the backing of the Democratic
State Committee as against Raskob and
Smith. 1t is declared that he is the
boss Of the party in the Empire State
today, and that he is no longer subordi-
nate to AL Smith, although the latter
is still the titular leader of the Demo-
cratic party nationally, because of his
presidential nomination in 1928. A
showdown In the National Committee
meeting here may be real test Of
strength. It Is no secret that many
of the Democrats from the South are
backing Roosevelt strongly for the
nomination, believing that he can win
next year when Smith or Owen Young
might not. This, Notwithstanding
Roosevelt's declaration last year against
a continuance Of national prohibition.
Gov. Smith, here to attend the COM
mittee meeting, was asked pointblank
whether he favored the nomination Of
Gov. Roosevelt for President next year.
IT don't think I should be asked that
question at a time like this" was the
response of the Governor. "It is a
question that must be answered by some
one more important than am. That
is the National Convention"
This was regarded in some quarters
as showing Gov. Smith not only had
not shut the door to denomination in
1882 but that he was receptive candi-
date. The Governor denied that there
had been a split, as published in some
of the newspapers, between himself and
Gov. Roosevelt. But the belief is grow
ing that Gov. Smith Is after all a candi-
date for the nomination, although he
has not declared that to be fact and
has contented himself with saying that
he will cross that bridge when he comes
to it. 1t may be that he is merely
conserving his strength to Use in the
National Convention as he deems wisest
for the party. If he declared fatty that
he was not a candidate and would rot
accept nomination, his influence would
wans Immediately. There Is no ques-
ton about that.
The closing of Congress is the signal
for the withdrawal of many familiar
figures from Washington official life,
some permanently and some perhaps
Temporarily. The next Senate viii be
minus three men who have served in
that body or in the House for long pc
RODS of time. Among them Is Senator
Gillett of Massachusetts,, veteran Re-
publican. He left the Senate without
fuss or feathers, stanch old New
England regular to the end. He did not
choose to run for reelection and Will
liam M. Butler. the Republican nominee
for the seat, went down to defeat be-
fore the Democratic Senator-elect Mar
Gus A. Coolidge, last November.
Mr.. Coolidge has been In Washington
for a week or more on his way North
from Florida, attending sessions Of the
Senate in order to get the lay of the
land and observe senatorial procedure.
He Is the second Democrat to be elected
to the Senate from Massachusetts, since
the Civil War. The first is his COL
league, Senator David I. Walsh. It
happens that Mrs. Coolidge was a class
mate at Smith College of Mrs. Dwight
AGna-rnS,, IIifa of the new Senatnr