Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-01


will reduce 1t.
Agreement Essential.
A fight in the Democratic National
Committee would reduce the party's
chances of success in electing q Presi-
dent next year in two ways. 1t would
cause the respective factions to be Bit
ter toward each other. Further, 1t would
be notice to the public that the Demo-
Gratis are fratricidally inclined-on pro-
hibition and on some other questions
and the public Is hesitant about giving
control of the Government to a party
that seems likely to manage the Gov
eminent in chaotic spirit.
To put 1t another way, the Democrats
as they meet next Thursday will; have
among them many detonants of de-
structive debate. But they will have
also one of the most solidifying and
modifying agencies known to political
human natvrs. namely, the cohesive
power of the expectation of ONCE.
Democratic leaders know that II they
are to win the presidential election of
| 1882 they must be able to march to
the polls side by side in peace, wet
shoulder rubbing dry shoulder. Once
the vision is realized Qf 1t is to be
realized), once the election is won and
the offices and perquisites taken over
at that time is the better day for the
intenecine fight.
All the Democratic leaders know this.
All OF them will be disposed to guide
themselves by the self-interest inherent
in the situation. All Of them, that is,
who are Democrats first and vets Cor
drys) afterward. 1t is only those who
are vets Tor drys) first and Democrats
afterward that will be prone to incite,
or invite, or fan to take pains to avert,
fight.
Raskob Has Troubles.
This brings us to Raskob and his
troubles. The chief of his troubles arises
from one condition, which may or may
not be in Raskob's mind, but is in
the minds of many who oppose him.
A good many Democrats think Raskob
is wet first and only a Democrat
afterward. They may be wrong, but
they think this about him. They sus-
pect that, far from being a consistent
Democrat, or a Democrat by principle
or inheritance, or a lifelong Democrat,
he is one who is strongly moved to get
rid of national prohibition-and thinks
the Democratic party Is likely agency
for that purpose.
These Democrats think and are able
to provide some concrete evidence for
their assertion that Raskob had been
a Republican within less than q year
of the time when he was chosen by
ex-Gov. Smith to be national chairman
Of the Democratic party for the pur-
poses of Smiths 1928 campaign for
the presidency. This suspicion that
Raskob is wet first and a Democrat
afterward weighs against him far more
than the mere fact Of his wetness.
Yet another reason for the turbulence |
With which some Democrats treat the |
very mild hammered Mr.. Raskob lies In |
their feeling that he Is not only not q |
Democrat, but not even politician. He |
came to the Craftsmanship Of the Demo- |
cratic National Committee straight from |
the world Of business. He had had no |
previous political career, had not come |
to the top through the ordinary proc
esses Of political promotion.
Held Against Him.
This fact weighs against Raskob In |
the minds of many Democratic leaders, |
just as the somewhat corresponding fact |
has weight against President Hoover in |
the minds of many Republican poll |
ticians. Politics, in the sense of public |
organization, is a fraternity-and It |
has the same attitude that any fraternity |
has toward an outsider who crashes |
the gate"
Of mutual and self-protective fraternity
accounts for much of the virtuous in
dignation with which the Senate rejects !
or pursues persons who get themselves
elected to that body largely as the fruit
OF expensive organization and publicity. |
The Senate puts its virtuous with
drawal Of its skirts from faint on the |
ground that it is shocked at the use
OF so much money. Actually, much of
the indignation is resentment against
the outsider who tries to reach an upper
grade of politics without going through
the mill of political experience. Sena-
tors tend to think there Is only one
proper path to that body It begins with
being worker in the precinct and leads
upward through the normal grades. Any
other path, any shortcut, so Senators
tend to think, Is case Of putting in
To call next Thursdays extraordi-
nary meeting Of the Democratic Ma
tional Committee was an act Of cour-
age on Raskob's part. Possibly his lack
OF political experience may account for
his courage. The very unusualness of
holding a meeting of the National Com |
mittee at this time is enough to &C.
count for much of the speculation |
about what Raskon has In his mind. 1
The purposes, as stated in Raskob,s |
formal call, are simple enough. One |
accomplishments secured during the |
last 10 months by the fine organization |
built up under the able direction |
and leadership of Jouett Shouse, chair |
man Of our Executive Committee"
Wet Move Seen.
Everybody knows the meeting W
not called for that purpose merely. Th
part OF 1t will take little time or mu 4 |
thought Some committee or other Will |
oraw up a laudatory resolution Of the |
point with pride" variety and the |
committee will adopt with more or less |
perfunctory cheers. They will do 1t |
listlessly, while their deeper minds wait |
alertly 70 see what the real fireworks |
1t is the second of the two declared
purposes OF the meeting that contains |
some mystery, and the seeds Of possible |
CONFERENCE.-THE purpose which Raskob |
describes as:
ITO discuss plans and policies TO gov
ern our activities during the next IS
months; these discussions and decisions
will be most important, and the pres
ence of every member Is, therefore,
earnestly requested"
It Is that one Of the purposes that
seems, in the eyes Of some Democrats,
TO squirt toward prohibition, or rather
toward anti-prohibition.
Plans 70 End Deficit.
One other matter Raskob mentioned
In his call, in the manner Of after
thought. The meeting will consider
plan for soliciting funds to meet our
deficit and carry on our work" That
weighs little with Raskob. He has per-
sonally put up most Of the money with
which the organization has operated
during 18 months past
The amount the committee owes him
Is upward Of quarter million dollars.
But let no one imagine Raskob has
called this meeting lust to get his