Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-11-10
The Political Mill
By C. Could Lincoln.

President sit in the White House aftel
March 4, but the Democratic party will
be overwhelmingly in control of the
House and will have . strong working
majority in the Senate. Figures al
hand show the Democrats holding SOC
seats in the next House, the Repub-
licans 100, with 20 still to be heard
from. In the Senate the Democrats
will have SO and the Republicans So
with Senator Shipstead Of Minpesota
Farmer-Labor, filling the ninety-sixth
seat. Under such a set-up, the Demo
cratic party will be In a position u
dominate the Government completely
President Hoover came into the
White House four years ago with Z
strongly Republican House and Senate
in which the Republicans predomi-
mated. The party alignment in the two
houses in 1929. the first session of the
then new Congress, was House, 267 Re-
publicans, 1853 Democrats, / Farmer
Labor and four vacancies, Senate, SO
Republicans, 80 Democrats and !
Farmer-Labor. As large as was the
Republican majority in the Congress
then, the Democratic majority far sur
passes it in the coming new Congress.
4
1t was not long before President
Hoover found that he had a determined
Republican opposition to his policies in
both Senate and House. The Repub-
iican House organization, however, was
strong enough to prevail for the ad
ministration. But in the Senate O
coalition between Democrats and in
surgent progressive Republicans tied
the hands Of the President What is TO
be the situation for President-elect
Roosevelt when he enters the White
House and sends his recommendations
to Congress ? AS general thing, there
Is no such bitter split between con-
sentative and progressive Democrats as
existed in 1929 between the progressive
and conservative Republicans In that
Roosevelt Is particularly fortunate. So
far as now appears there Is no Demo-
cratic Johnson, no Democratic Norris
nor Democratic Blaine in the Senate to
attack Roosevelt at the opening OF his
cratic Senators has the personal
hatred for Mr. Roosevelt that has been
evidenced by Senator Hiram johnson
campaigned against his election, as did
Norris and Blaine against the election
of President Hoover.
The course of the President elect
therefore. should be more easy going
Tar as Congress is concerned It is
quite true that not all Democrats ale
equally progressive or equally con-
sentative. But the Dam Gratis are Demo-
Graf first. so fer, and not progressives
or conservatives. And. fortunately for
Mr.. Roosevelt. he will not - We to
depend upon the Johnsons u Nor
ri-es. the La Folettes for sup, y Of his
proposals. They may support his recon-
mendations. They supported Roosevelt
in the compaigr just closed But
whether they support his lsgisls tive
proposals or not. Mr.. Roosevelt has
enough Democrats to put them through.
In other words. the balance Of power
in Congress will 70 longer lie with
the group Of Repub 'ican iHsurg.~ts IN
that the country IS particularly lucky
as well as Mr.. Reese ~. for that group
will rot be abe to hold up md ham
string legislation that may be vitality
Necessary.
There Is a progressive group on the
Democratic side OF the Senate. Gen
orally speaking, there may be included
in this group Wheele- Of Montana, Dill
Of Washington, Long Of Louisiana and
several others. Senator Walsh CT ZION
tana IS regarded as progressive. too.
But Senator Walsh is not likely to at
tempt TO kick over the Democratic ad-
ministration. no matter what others
might undertake.
President-elect Roosevelt had the
support Of all elements in his party for
election There has been a question in
the minds of many whether he in
tends TO train particularly with the
Wheelers, Longs, McAdoos and Hearsts
Youngs and the Bakers The Presi-
ent-elect has shown himself a clever
politician in his ability to get along
with all factions and all leaders If
he is able to cont nue. to get along with
them all SO much the better for him
self, and. generally speaking. for the
country.
The makeup of Mr. Roosevelt's cab
met will be eagerlg scanned to deter
mine if possible which Of the factions
in his party he plans to play ball with.
Many names have already be@ men
tened in connection with the new cab
met among them Alfred Ess Smith,
Owen D. Young. Newton D. Baker
James A. Farley, Bernard Baruch, Will
liam Gibbs McAdoo The last has been
elected Senator from California, and it
does not appear likely that he will be
disturbed In that Office. Indeed. if
Mr.. Roosevelt should make McAdoo
Secretary Of State, for example, there
would Immediately be an cutlery to the
effect that it was in consummation of
deal made to bring about his own
nomination for President during the
Chicago convention, when the Roose-
welt forces desperately needed the Cali
fornia and Texas delegations to give
him victory.
The Republican progressives have in
the last campaign stirred the tempest.
They fiocked to the Democratic stand
ard and made the Democratic party
dominant in the great States of the
West and Middle West where these
progressive Republicans reside. They
undoubtedly voted as they talked. The
question will soon arise as to whether
they can lay the Democratic advance
when they come personally to run for
Ol1lIS dSdAl VIII lAAC 1CaAiOSAaLo US
willing to step aside and place no one
in nomination against them? Will no
Democrat contest with Senator Hiram
Johnson, for example, or Senator La
Toilette Of Wisconsin, or Senator Cut
ting Of New Mexico when those SEN
ators come up again for election? 1t
may prove . nice question In the flu
ture The Democrats, having obtained
control in many of these Western
States, are not likely to wish to see the
Republican progressives remain as
dominant figures there. An alternative
for the progressive Republicans, of
course, is for them to become members
OF the Democratic party.
f.
What happened to the Ware organiza-
ton in Philadelphia? 1t turned up a
beggarly $4,000 lead for the Republican
national ticket In the City Of Brotherly
Love last Tuesday when 1t was claim
ing that it could deliver 10000 to
200, 900. Has Mr.. Ware lost his grip, or
did the organization not 60 through for