Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-16
The Political Mill
BY C.. Could Lincoln.

ocratic party as he approaches nearer
the speakership Of the House. If he
becomes Speaker, as now appears likely
unless death or sickness should step In
and give the Republicans majority in
the House when that body meets De-
cember z, he becomes at once a ma
tional figure. And having become
national figure, he may also become the
! favorite-son candidate of the Texas
Democrats for he presidential noml-
nation next year. What the Texas
de,eOation Goes in the convention next
year is OF Importance, particularly IN
view of the fact that Texas has a larger
delepation than any Of the other South
ern and Southwestern states. AT pres
emit there are Roosevelt, Baker ana MI
Adoo factions in the Lone star STATE
all canvasSing Tor tnelr IaHoiiSe Live
dates. There has been TAX Oh InaAnis
WeIvin Traylor, Chicago banker ana
one time resident of Texas, the canal
date of the Texas delegation. But tnls
hoon, is not likely to get far. Former
Attorney General Gregory in the VII
con administration is credited WIN
leading the fight for a RooseVelI oeIe-
cation. The Democratic national COM
mitteeman, Jed c. Adams, mas spoH 4t,a
favorablv of Newton D. Baker Tor the
presidential nomination, While tnat Vet-
eran of many political battles, In0mas
Love. is beating the bushes LOT Wnilain
G. McAdoo.
TO the Texas Democrats are unable
tn come to any amicable agreement re-
garding a presidential candidate, tney
NAV turn, it is said, to MI: Garner ano
send a delegation to the Natlonal Coi,-
vention instructed to vote, az i Garre ~
the early balloting, for MT. Garner.
Tom Love. who headed the antl-Smltn
Democrats in Texas in 1923, Is SUN
bearing down hard in oppositlon 70 d
marty nominee who opposes tne Eight
zenith amendment. For that reason ne
10 not reconciled to the nomination OF
Gov. Roosevelt or to that OF Mr.. BAKER
both known opponents OF natlonaI pLo-
hibition. If Mr.. Love taxes Llts Pr ~
ootes he NAV cause some Of the other
5artv leaders considerable trouble. Texas
has very large contingent OF orys
ctiil Under the Garner banner the
Texss Democrats could all rally Wltn-
ont in i1rv to themselves. They might
not believe that Mr.. Garner coulo get
the nomination or they mlgnI h0I e'e.
be anxious for him to get II. but az
least they could go 10 tne Coii'eAA'-oA-
with united front.
This prohibition issue is raising iCs
head again to disturb not only tte
Democrats, but also the Repd domortI,
Former Senator James w. WaoSWot'i ILL
ir,. of New York has just addressed q
letter to Senator Tess of Ohio, cnalr-
nan of the Republican National Conn.,
roittee urging that Senator Fess ana
other party leaders give serious con-
sideration to a proposal to nave Iie
eighteenth amendment resupmiGteo 70
the people, with State conVentloIis W
deal with the amendment instead OF
state legislatures. In this way, Sena-
for Wadsworth says, it will be posi-
HE to get a real referendum on the
LIQUOR question, such referendum as
was not had when the question was
handled by the State Legislatures.
The people would elect the delegates
to these State conventions WIN tnls
single issue in mind. The delegates
would not be elected as democrats OF
Republicans, but just as opponents OF
supporters of national prohibition.
* X x
Despite the fact that Senator Wads-
worth's letter is counched in mild terms,
il is not likely to make much headWay
with the dry element in the Republic
an party, which is opposed to puttlng
a piank in the next national platform
looking to any modification OF the
nresent dry laws For example, IL Is
The opinion of Senator Borah OF Idaho
that such a proposal as that advanced
by Mr.. Wadsworth will not get 10 1eet.
The dry Republicans insist that tne
vets themselves are not united on any
proposal for modification of the pres
ent dry laws and that the country VIII
net support a wet proposal when there
is no actual substitute for the eight
eenth amendment advanced. never.
theless, when the Republican Natlonal
Committee meets here December 10 10
Law its plans for the national conven-
ton next June, there may be some
agitation on the part OF the members
from States where the wet sentiment
&c strong among the Republicans as well
as Democrats for a modified attitude OF
the party toward national prohibition.
The Republican members of the Ma
tional Committee, however, have so Tar
taken the position that the party plat
form is a matter with which the ma
tional convention alone can deal, and
that the committee has no right to I'M
dertake to tell the convention what IL
shall do in this matter. 1t would ap-
near to be unlikely that Chairman Tess,
therefore, will give Senator Wadsworth
the kind of answer to his letter that
the New Yorker desires.
X X X X
Representative Tilson of Connecticut,
Republican floor leader, who has now
made formal announcement OF his can
didacy for the nomination for Speaker,
urges the Republicans of the House to
unite in action against the common
foe. the Democrats. The chances OF
solid front on the part of the Repub-
licans of the House appear better since
apparently the Democrats have wrung
from the Republicans the majority OF
the House membership. The Progress
sives among the Republicans, when 1t
comes to party success, do not care
much more for the Democrats than do
the regular Republicans. If the control
of the House passes finally to the Demo-
Gratis, it leaves the ProgreSSiveS in an
awkward position. When the Repub-
licans control the Progressives are in
a position to dominate the situation
by threatening to act in cooperation
with the Democrats against adminiStra-
ton measures. But with the passing of
this balance of power from their hands,
the Progressives will cut, comparatively
speaking a small figure. The Democrats
when they once get actual control of
House or Senate are likely to give their
erstwhile allies short shrift. There are ,
too many deserving Democrats to be
taken care of for them to bother greatly
with pleasing the Republican Progress
sives.
X X X
The appointment of Mrs. Hattie
Caraway to fill the vacancy in the Sen
ate caused by the death of the late
Senator ThaddeuS Caraway of Arkan-
sas gives the Democrats again At
members of the Senate to 48 for the
n som tho tho G0u-