Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-17
The Political Mill
By G. Could Lincoln.

Gov. Franklin d Roosevelt Of New
York apparently has come nearer to
splitting with Tammany over the in
vestigation of corruption in New York
City government than he has during
the whole previous course of his in
cumbency as Governor. Despite the as
sertion by John F. Curry. leader OF
Tammany, that the investigation is
merely an attempt to cruelty Tam
many" and despite the fact that the
Democratic members of the Legislative
Committee are bitterly hostile to the
procedure, Gov. Roosevelt has called q
special session of the New York Legis-
lature to strengthen the hands of the
committee. 1t has been clear for some
time. however, that either the Tam
many leaders would have to submit
tamely to the investigation which Is
being conducted into the government Of
New York City or that Gov. Roosevelt
Tammany. instead Of submitting to the
investigation and making no efforts to
throw monkey wrench into the ma
chinsry, is doing everything in its power
to hamper the investigation and at the
same time Gov Roosevelt continues TO
insist that the Legislature has the entire
right to go ahead with the havestiga-
ton and that he will do nothing to
prevent thorough inquiry.
n X
When the counsel for the Legislative
Committee, Judge Samuel Seabury, put
John F. Curry on the stand last week
and drew from him the admission that
he had called one Of the State Supreme
Court Judges on the telephone and In
the capacity of Tammany leader had
sought to interfere with the immediate
commitment to jail Of DR.. William F.
DOYLE, the veterinarian who had re-
fused to answer questions about split
ting his fees in cases before the Board
OF Standards, fees that ran into the
millions of dollars, the Tammany leader
made poor showing. His only plea
was that he had acted as Democratic
leader in an effort to save Democrat
He added to that the charge that the
Republicans are seeking to embarraSS
the Democratic administration of New
York City.
Bless his simple heart; of course the
Republicans are seeking to embarrass
the Democratic administration in New
York, which means TaInmany. But If
the Tammany off1ceholders are guilty Of
graft, it is no excuse to say that the
Republicans are trying to show them
UP. 1t all sounds rather childish.
The Tammany Democrats, however
are now planning to try to put through
the Legislature amendments to the pro-
posed law giving the Legislative Com
mittee fuller powers, amendments which
would permit similar committee to in
vestigate Republican controlled cities in
New York State They are imbued with
the idea that the Republicans will re-
sist such tactics and viii show them
selves up in the same light as the Tam
many Democrats.
Well, perhaps the Republicans will do
just that thing. But the people Of the
State and of the country, which takes
an interest in the great city of New
York and its doings. still will want to
know just what Tammany has been
doing to rig the Government and the
people of New York City. The New
York Legislature has been called to
meet August 25 With the Republicans
intent upon getting through the legiSla-
ton needed to give the investigating
committee authority to grant immunity
to witnesses, and the Governor SEEM
ingly ready to sign such legislation, 1t
looks as though the legislation would
finally be put through in one form or
another.
There is no rule of unlimited debate
in the New York Legislature such as
exists in the United States Senate, so
the Tammany leaders viii have to take
their medicine in all probability before
many days are over.
*
Gov. Roosevelt undoubtedly has added
to his strength as presidential candi-
date by his attitude toward the New
York investigation. He may lose some
strength with Tammany. But just how
Tammany can benefit itself by attack
ing the Governor Of the State under the
present circumstances is diAcult to un-
derstand. He IS in q position to make
it very uncomfortable for Tammany If
he wishes to do so.
Georgia Democrats seem, in very large
numbers, to have adopted the New York
Governor as favorite son candidate Of
then own. A Statewide organization
is rapidly being perfected there to sup
port Roosevelt for the Democratic presi-
Dental nomination next year. Senator
Harris, the senior Senator, has come
out fiatfootedly for his nomination and
Senator George, the junior Senator,
who in 1928 had the support of the
Georgia delegation at the opening of
the Democratic National Convention In
Houston, Tex, has indicated that he
will not be a "fayorite son" candidate
next year. This practically leaves the
way open to solid Georgia delegation
at the National Convention pledged to
support Roosevelt.
The New Yorker has for q decade
been a frequent visitor to Georgia,
where he had gone often to aid in his
cure OF the condition in which an at
tack of infantile paralysis left him in
1921. He is engaged in a philanthropic
enterprise for the cure Of tnfantile
paralysis at Warm Springs, Ga.
\
North Carolina for years has been
represented in the Senate of the United
States by veteran legislators Last year
one OF these, Senator Simmons, was de-
feated in the primary election by Sena-
tor William j. Bailey and the other,
Senator OVerman, died and was sue
ceeded by Senator Cameron Morrison.
The era OF calm over the North Caro-
lima senatorial situation has been broken
OF short, 1t seems. In the first place,
there Is contest against the seating
OF Senator Bailey, brought by the Re-
publican candidate against him In the
1880 election, and in the second, Sena-
tor Morrison is now facing strong on
position in the primary, which takes
place next June Morrison, who is now
serving under appointment by the Gov
ernor TO fill the vacancy caused by
the death of Senator Overman, is an
ardent dry. He has so far two avowed
opponents for the nomination next
year.
One OF them Is wet, Robert r. Rey-
nolds of Asheville, who is out for the
nomination of Gov. Roosevelt of New
York as the Democratic candidate for
President next year. The other is Judge
Thomas c. Bowie, former speaker of
the North Carolina House of Repre-
sentatives, who, like Cameron, is a dry.
Cameron, though newcomer TO the Sen