Evening star., 1932-05-12
The Political Mill
By C. Could Lincoln.

Owen D. Young OF New York, head
of the General Electric and an out
standing figure in the business and
industrial world, Is having his day" as
q possible compromise candidate for the
Democratic presidential nomination
Thus q third New Yorker Is thrown
into the melee. He can get nowhere
until Gov. Franklin D. Roosevelt and
the former Governor, Alfred &. Smith,
have fought, bled and died In the Dem
ocratic National Convention. Mr..
Young. however, is In the process of
grooming. Whether he win ever emerge
q full-fedged candidate remains to Be
seen. He has, personally, insisted he
is not candidate. But he is beginning
to talk mighty like candidate" For
example, Mr.. Young has recently sug-
gested that, after all, the old "equalizs-
ton fee" plan Of farm relief might be
tried with success; that some kind Of
modified soldiers bonus legislation be
put through, and finally that the plan
for q $4,000 600 600 construction pro
gram be undertaken by the Federal
Government to aid employment and
that $500, 008, 900 be appropriated out
Of the national Treasury to help the
distressed men and women in this
country. All of these proposals have
been firmly opposed by President Hoo
yer and the Republican administration.
II the Democrats are seriously intent
upon putting forward q great business
man to lead them in the coming cam
paign as their candidate for President,
,, why pick one who Is willing to take On
the panaceas which have been trotted
out, which have failed of approval and
which have the disapproval Of the blsi-
ness world In general? Mr. Young's
espousal OF the cause Of the equalization
fee Is just about as incongruous and
out Of character as the bitter attack
made by the titular leader Of the Demo-
cratic party, Alfred E. Smith, on Gov.
Franklin D. Roosevelt because Gov.
Roosevelt dared to speak for the little
man" and the forgotten man"
It has been apparent for a long time,
however, that certain interests in the
Democratic party and out of it have
been intent on one thing-defeat Of Gov.
Roosevelt for the Democratic nomination
for President. The Roosevelt opposition
has been greatly encouraged in recent
weeks BY two primary elections-one In
Massachusetts,, where Al Smith was VIC
torious, and the ether In California.
where the drys put Speaker Garner in
the running again by defeating both
Roosevelt and Smith. Nevertheless, the
Roosevelt delegates to the Democratic
national convention continue to in
crease. This week West yirqinia.
Arizona and Wyoming delegations in
structed fer Roosevelt have been added
70 the list supporting the New York
Governor.
The puzzle for the Democrats oppos-
ing Roosevelt is to hnd candidate who
can be nominated and can be elected
after they have ditched the New YORK
Governor. Mr. Young would be the
selection Of some Of the Democratic
leaders undoubtedly. He has uncues-
toned ability. But how would the
Democrats from the West view his can
didacy, even though he may have de-
clared himself for the equalization fee?
There Is talk In Chicago and Texas of
Melvin A. Traylor, president Of the
First National Bank OF Chicago also
But Mr.. Traylor, despite his qualifica-
tions, Is not at all national figure or
known to the voters. Furthermore, are
the various candidates in the field op-
posing Roosevelt willing TO step aside
for the sake Of either Young or Tray
lor2 These other candidates are anxious
to prevent the nomination Of the New
York Governor, it is true, but they are
also hoping that the lightning will
strike them, not Mr.. Young or Mr..
Traylor.
One of the latest attacks on the
Roosevelt organization is that leveled
against Senator Alben Barkley of Ken
Ia - H. hat -
of the Democratic National Conventic-l
and to deliver the keynote speech. Sen
ator Barkley has been attacked becau3c
he voted IN the Senate Finance Com
mittee for a $2-a-ton import tax en-
coal, one of the so-called tariff taxe3
in the pending revenue bill It Is urged
that Democrat who has sponsored
such a tariff tax cannot weli attack
the Republican tariff law In a keynote
speech to the Democratic National Con-
vention and to the country. Perhaps
he cannot. But there are lot Of other
prominent Democrats In the same boat
with Senator Barkley on that score.
Many of the Democrats in the Senate
and House have voted for high rates
OF tariff duty on products Of their
Finance Committee, for example, there
were Senator Connally of Texas and
Senator Gore Of Oklahoma voting for
an import duty on oil and supporting
the duty on coal which has gotten Mr..
Barkiey into hot water, at least tenn
porarily. There were scores of Demo-
Gratis In the House who voted for these
import duties, and there viii be many
other Democrats In the Senate also
supporting them.
However. the anti-Roosevelt Demo-
Gratis, who do not like Barkely both
because he declined to be favprite
son candidate for President in Ken
tucky and lined the State delegation up
Ior Roosevelt and because he was the
selection Of the Roosevelt following for
temporary chairman OF the national
convention, are taking an opportunity
TO slap at Roosevelt through Barkley.
Strangely enough, 1t was through Sen
ator Curdell Hulls strong opposition to
these tariff amendments to the revenue
Bill that the criticism of BarkIey was
first given publicity. Senator Hull is
supporter Of Gov. Roosevelt for the
nomination. But he Is unalterably op-
posed to the high-tariff idea and to
bill.
What the Democrats will do about
Senator Barkley and his ciiairrnanship
OF the Democratic National Convention,
now this matter has been brought out
in the open, remains TO be seen. Some
OF the Roosevelt leaders merely pooh
pooh the Idea of dispiaclng Barkley,
and insist there Is nothing to the drive
against him. Senator Hull Is not in
clined to go through with an effort to
displace Barkley. Furthermore, II the
tariff taxes In the revenue bin finally
should be stricken ont, what was done
In the Senate committee or even on the
Senate floor by individual supporters of
these taxes is not likely to iihger long
ip the memory q the voters But in
beating Of some Democratic breasts
The Democrats who have themselves
voted for high duties on long staple
cotton, on goat hair, on candy and on
sy dscuyssios SI Of tle taria il conErsss psSs srs
fiot likely To throw shines Thev live