Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-08
The Political Mill
By c. Could Lincoln.

Legislature Of New York, In effect said
that If the Legislature believed there
should be an inquiry into the govern
ment Of New York City, 1t was within
the power Of the Legislature to so ahead
and make the investigation. He did not
! say he favored such an inquiry nor did
he say he disapproved 1t. In conse-
| quence, the New York Times editorially
says: After this let no one say that
Franklin Roosevelt Is using his Official
| position to shield Tammany from vista
| ton and exposure" The New York
J World, however, after pointing out
editorially that Gov. Roosevelt has Just
| as much right to recommend an in
vestigation Of the affairs of New York
| City as he has of the Village govern
| ment In CattarauglS County"-which
| in effect he did ommend-concludes
I'VE can ind no answer to these ques-
tons which does not indicate an obvious
reluctance on the part of Gov. Roose-
welt to challenge the power of Tammany
Hall"
It has been obvious that the Legisla-
ture has q right and q duty-if it be-
lieveS that an investigation is needed
to investigate conditions In New York
City. It is also true that the Repub-
some days ago determined to go ahead
and put through resolutions providing
| for such legislative investigation. The
Republicans have the majority in the
Legislature. Sooner or later, therefore,
1t appeared that the question of having
such an investigation would be put
up to the Governor, when the appro-
priation Of funds for the inquiry went
to him for his signature. It Is under
| stood that Gov. Roosevelt has agreed to
approve the expenditure of funds for
| the investigation If the Legislature acts
The Democratic preconvention cam
paign for the presidential nomination IS
| on. The factions in New Yorks democ-
racy are lining up for one candidate or
another. While Gov. Roosevelt has been
much in the limelight and has been
referred to many times as the probable
nominee OF the party, there are Demo-
Gratis in New York and outside who pre-
fer the nomination of Owen D. Young,
II he can be drafted for the Job Still
| others are favorable to the remomina-
| ton of former Gov. Alfred E. Smith.
Presumably New York's delegation to
the next Democratic National Con-
vention will line up solidly for one
candloate or another, since the State
democracy will not wish to waste its
influence In the convention by splitting
| up among several candidates.
| +
Gov. Roosevelt has been bearing
down strongly on the water power is
sue. His message to the Legislature
deals with that subject. He has been
declared by Senator George w. Norris
OF Nebraska to be as near tight on the
Water-power question as any man in
public life. Senator Norris, on the
other hand, in an interview said that
ne believed the water-power trust al
ready was working to secure the norni-
nation by the Democrats Of Owen
Young. 1t is Obvious that Mr., Young.
because Of his business connections
with electrical power, may be frowned
upon as a candidate by the Progressives
In both parties. However, there Is
enough talk in New York about the
| canoidacy OF Mr.. Young at this time
70 cause Gov. Roosevelt and his SUD-
porters for the presidential nomination
some uneasinesS.
There is one factor In the situations
Tor which Gov. Roosevelt is In no way
70 blame-and that Is the Governors
physical disability. While he has
greatly improved since the attack of
lnfantile paralysis which he suffered
a number OF years ago, some members
OF MS party question the advisability of
placing In nomination for the presi-
oency one VINO has difficulty with walk
ing ana who is regarded in q measure
as semi-invalid.
New York Is not to have the exeI,,-
| stve right to the field of Candidates for
the Democratic presidential nomina-
tlon: Maryland, with Gov. Albert g.
Richie, will make its bid for the honor
in 1882, and Arkansas, with Joe" Rob
lnson, Democratic leader Of the Senate,
VIII stick in its oar too. Both Robinson
and Roosevelt have had the Nomination
Tor the vice presidency in the past, the
f1rst In 1928 and the latter In 1920.
Both were disastrous years, POLITICALLY.
for the Democrats.
The Southern Democrats. many Of
them, are intent upon bringing about
the nomination OF q candidate for Pres
loent who supports the eighteenth
amendment, II they can. They are will
ing, II y said, to have q wet Democrat
nominated for Vice President, as q
compromise. But they must have a
dry head to the ticket. 1t Is doubtful.
however, that any Democratic State Of
the South viii repeat the performance
OF 1928 and go over to the Republican
column on election day 1892 even II the
party nominee be q wet. Just what
would happen in the South In the event
OF the nomination of Al Smith Ia still
moot question, with plenty Of takers
on both sides of the bet. What has
happened this last year to the anti
Smith leaders among the Democrats Of
the South Is not calculated to arouse
other party leaders to follow in their
footsteps in 1892. The anti-Smith
Democratic leaders have been drubbed
good and plenty by the Democrats who
remained regular In 1923. Dry South
ern Democrats are still talking about
George White, new Governor Of Ohio,
for the presidential nomination, al
though Mr.. White has been talking rather
wet" since his election. Still he ran
as dry for election last Fall, while
Buckley, the Senator, was running as an
avowed opponent OF the eighteenth
amendment.
Rumors regarding plans Of the Re-
publicanS are gaining more and more
circulation. One of the latest is that
Col. ]. Hanford MacNider, now Ameri-
can Minister to Canada, viii resign his
post there next Summer to come back
to this country to take an active part
in q pre-convention campaign for the
denomination of President Hoover The
President Is faced with the need of
picking q new secretary, owing to the
imminent retirement of George Aker-
son from that position to accept a post
as an executive in big business corpo-
ration. Mr.. Akerson was an assistant
and secretary to the President long
before he entered the White House.
In other words, he knew his job before
he became secretary to the President
In March, 1929. He was qualified, and
he performed valuable service. Within
stones throw of the White House
the President could find, If he desired,
another secretary well qualified for the
position which Mr.. Akerson Is vacating.
He could go to the Republican Con-
gressional Committee AMI pick Earl
Venable, who has been the secretary of