Evening star., 1931-12-21
The Political Mill
By C.. Could Lincoln.

Rarely has there been so clear a
demonstration by political leaders and
politicians Of their ability to cast aside
partisanship and act for what they be.
lieved the best interest of the country
than was demonstrated during the last
week by Democrats of the House. Ger
tainly in peace times. Under the
leadership Of Representative Collier OF
Mississippi, the new Democratic chair
man Of the House Ways and Means
Committee, the House passed the Joint
resolution making effective so far as
this country Is concerned the Hoover
ntergovernmental debt moratorium. a
moratorium to which this country had
been pledged by the President after
comforting with both Republican and
Democratic leaders in Congress last
Summer. 1t was certainly a refreshing
demonstration and demonstration
from which the Republicans can well
learn lesson when occasion arises
Senate Democrats it is expected will in
the main act as their Democratic
colleagues in the House have done when
the resolution comes to a vote In the
Upper House.
The House Democrats, despite the
narrow margin of their control, of that
BODY, are already giving evidence that
they Intend to act constructively in the
present Congress and to speed lepisla
ton needed to aid In the present
economic situation in this country.
Having disposed Of the MORATORIUM
proposal promptly on Saturday, took up
and put through the first of the
domestic relief measures, bill to
strengthen the Federal Land Banks, and
otner measures are to follow quickly In
the wake. From purely political point
OF view the course followed by the
House Democrats Is redounding to their
party's credit.
The anti-Roosevelt group in the
Democratic party is doing its best TO
matt the progress of the New York
governor toward the presidential nomi-
nation next June. They are trying out
various candidates, Richie of MARYLAND
BAKER OF Ohio being their main hopes
IN the eHort to make 1t impossible for
the New Yorker to have a tWo-thirds
vote In the coming Democratic National
Convention. Mr.. Baker might be in
deed, a strong candidate for the nomi-
nation II he were willing TO become a
canoloate. Martin L. Davey, the tree
expert and former member of the
House, Is doing his best to arouse Ohio
Democrats and obtain an Ohio delega-
ton for Baker in the national conven-
ton. He has sent letters to 10000
Democrats in the State. according to
an announcement made today. suggest
ing the formation OF Baker-for President
Clubs throughout Ohio. Mr.. Davey SAYS
that this is movement to draft" Mr.,
Baker for the presidential nomination
admitting that Mr. Baker is not a can
didate. Mr.. Davey adds. however. "Mr,
Baker has never said that he would not
accept the nomination"
II Mr.. Baker will not agree TO become
an active candidate, then it is Mr.
DaveyS plan to have a dummy candi-
date for Baker, who will get the Ohio
delegation with the understanding that
he will deliver 1t to Baker when the
convention meets. He says in this
connection:
Under the Ohio law, it is necessary
FOR the person who runs as a delegate
to secure the written consent of the
candidate for President 1t has been
customary for these written consents
to be placed in the hands of some indi-
vldual who, with small group Of like
minded gentlemen, hand-pick the dele
gates 1t is easily possible, In the event
Mr.. Baker may be unwilling to give his
consent, for some responsible and re-.
spected Democrat to stand sponsor for
the movement and sign the necessary
consents, and still have a bona fide
Baker delegation"
i
Ohio is full of politically minded
Democrats this year. however, and some
OF them have very different ideas about
the selection OF presidential candi-
cate, different from those of Mr.. Davey.
Ohio has Democratic Governor
George White, who for a long time has
been very active in party politics there.
He was member of the House for a
time. He was chairman of the Demo-
cratic National Committee in 1920, when
Jimmy Cox, then Governor. was the
candidate OF the Democrats for Presi-
dent. There are those who would like
to see Mr.. White have the Ohio deleea-
ton to the national convention. And
II they do not hope eventually to land
him as the party choice for President
at lease they, figure that Gov. White
would make an admirable running mate
for Gov. Roosevelt. With Roosevelt of
New York at the head of the ticket,
supported by White of Ohio, the con-
tentlon is that the Democratic national
ticket would go far. Generally speak,
ing, the majority of Democrats today
believe that Roosevelt has more poten-
tlal strength as presidential candidate
IN the coming general election than any
other candidate the party could put up.
Ihoy believe that he would run better
in the East, the West and the south
than, Tor example, would Mr.. Baker or
Gov. Ritchie. And the Democrats are
bent on selecting their strongest candi-
date for 1882 If they can. New York
and Ohio, 1t is pointed out, are both
pig, pivotal States in a presidential
election, and with both of them repre-
Sented on the ticket next year, the
Democrats feel they would be in a good
position.
Down in Georgia some of the Demo-
cratic newspapers, which are support
ing Roosevelt for the presidential nomi-
nation, are not taking kindly to the
suggestion that Roosevelt be sidetracke d
and are expressing themselves regarding
what they consider a Smith -Raskob at
tempt to make prohibition the biggest
issue in the coming campaign. The
Macon Telegraph, which supported Gov
Smith for the presidency in 1923, has
commented editorially as follows:
Gov. Smith has developed into a
repeal or modification fanatic, while
there is above all a pressing need for
economic readjustment. If in the midst
OF the worst economic and political
problems it has faced in generations
the Democratic party is so devoid of
imagination, so devoid of leadership
and so utterly selfish as to yell for the
privilege OF free and unrestrained legal
drinking as its major ambition then IL
does not deserve support. Gov. Smith
could see that If he were less fanatical
upon the subject"
Republican hopes are at a low ebh