Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-19

"A man doesn't start as bookkeeper
and get to where Mr.. Raskob is without
having a good deal to him. When he
turns his talents to politics, the fact
that he departs from accepted political
methods is merely a further sign of his
ability. The public is going to like 1t.
What most of the politicians blame
Raskob for is too much candor. They
think he ought to ssh about prohibit
ton Raskob already has the ear OF the
public When he writes 400O-word
statement all the big newspapers PRINT
it in full and every newspaper without
exception treats it as major news. No
man gets a leverage like that without
having some quality, and when man
has a leverage like that he will go
long way Raskob is not to be leercd
at He is to be taken very seriously,
especially by the Republican party.
Jeered at Woodrow Wilson.
"All the politicians in both parties
think of themselves as a fraternity,
closed fraternity. When business man
tries to get in they regard him as an
impudent outsider trying to crash the
gate If the business man Is content
to stay outside and pass them some
money through a crack in the fence.
as a campaign contribution. they think
that's all right-that's business mans
proper place in politics. But II. the
business man tries to take direct
hand in the political game in his own
person the politicians howl to heaven.
Most of the newspaper men abet the
politicians-the newspaper men are TOO
close to the fraternity of politicians Tor
the country's good. They both try 10
keep politics as a closed game, closed
to everybody but the professionals.
They act the same way toward any OUT
slider. business man or not. When
Woodrow Wilson tried to butt in they
ieered at him as college professor.
1.-The newspaper men and polltlclanS
will do we'll to wake up to what Raskoo
means They should wake up to the
whole idea of what the business man
in politics needs-such business men
as President Hoover. owen young
Dwight Morrow and now Raskoo-
business men who conceive OF business
as a function Of society, as the organi-
cation and diffusion of material goods
on the widest possible scale, at the
lowest practicable cost, with the high
est practicable wages. Raskob Is an
able man and gallant one. He's
entitled to "a break and the pubic
will give it to him, regardless Oh the
politicians and the newspapers All
Raskob needs is TO make the public
understand what hiss after When the
public senses that. Raskob can't be
jeered out of court by the professional
politicians, the handshakers and baby
kissers End breastbeaters and ward
wallor>rs."
Az Of which is. as the lawyers say. |
res-ectfully submitted. 1t Is the view
of a man with M exceptional under |
standing Of and experience in national |
politics.
Will Assemble Replies.
1t may be as it may be. What we
know is that Mr.. Raskob is going to |
keep after his purpose. And as the
philosopher quoted above observed, the
print what Mr.. Raskob I
says. He is coming on the front page |
again in September, when he proposes |
to assemble the replies and suggestions !
sent to him by the members Of the |
Democratic National Committee in |
weeks ago He viii have the front page |
again in December. when the Demo- |
cratic National Committee will meet to |
vote upon his proposals. He will have /
the headlines yet again when the |
Democratic National Convention meets (
in June. And quite probably Mr.. (
Raskob will have the front page on |
many occasions between these formal |
events.
After Mr.. Raskob's recent statement, I
the newspapers queried the 104 man /
and woman members OF the Democratic !
National Committee. Not all were will
ing to say anything for publication. !
OF those who replied. apparently ma
iority were sympathetic to Mr.. Ras- I
kob's program. Mr.. Raskobs friends /
and allies in the Democratic organiza- /
ton claim that majority OF the men, !
bers Of the National Committee are |
u-itf, him, HE 0rTOpeVfs ifirf
nestly make the same claim for them J
selves. One feels that probably Mr.. |
Raskob's information is little the /
better. He is chairman Of the National /
Committee, in control of the party /
machinery. That fact alone has weight /
with many members Of the National |
Committee and it gives Mr.. Raskob |
avenues of information about what the /
National Committee thinks.
. If Mr.. Raskob has anything near half |
the National Committee he and his |
program will win. The final test comes |
in the National Convention in June OF |
next year. The test Is whether the I
convention, after it assemblies, will |
adopt his program. The chances of Mr.. !.
Raskob and his program are very |
much better in the convention than |
in the National Committee. The Ma /
tional Committee has the same number /
Of members from each State-two. /
Hence, in the National Committee a !
comparatively small dry State like Mis- |
sissippi has as much weight as large
wet State like New York When the |
National Convention comes however,
it will be made up in rough proportion !
to population. Mississippi will have /
20 delegates, whereas New York will |
have 90. 1t is the States with large /!
delegations that are wet and will sup |
port Mr.. Raskobs program.