Evening star., 1932-01-21
The Political Mill
By G.. Could Lincoln.


The Republicans have . terrific bat
tie on their hands to retain contro! OF
the Senate In the coming general elec,
ton. Unless the g. 0. p. nationai
ticket should attain strength enough IN
the campaign to win, and win hanolly,
1t looks very much as though the Re-
publican control Of the Senate would
vanish after March 4, 1888. Senator
Jim" Watson of Indiana, Republican
leader Of the Senate, has, BY the au-
thority vested In him as leader, an
nounced the appointment OF q COM
mittee OF Republican Senators to aid
in the senatorial campaigns this year.
In selecting the committee Senator
Watson has pretty we'll wiped the slate
clean of old animosities among the Re
publicans of the Senate. He has Sc
lected q committee of Young Guard"
as distinct from the "Old Guard" COM
posed Of Senators who are serving their
first terms In the Senate. with the ex-
ception of Senator Robinson OF In
diana, who came to the Senate In 1925.
The committee is headed by Senator
Hatfield of West Virginia, who has been
member of the Senate only since
March 4, 1929 The other members of
the committee are Senators Hebert,
Rhode Island, vice chairman; Patter-
son, Missouri Robinson. Indi1na:
Jersey; Carey, Wyoming, and Dickin-
Progressive Republican Senators
from the West charged that the last
mittee, headed by Senator Moses Of
New Hampshire, was lukewarm II not
actually inimica1 to the reelection of
Progressive Senators. That was one
of the causes which brought about the
fight Of the Progressive group against
the reelection of Senator Moses as
President pro tempore of the Senate.
Senator Moses Is a candidate this year
for reelection himself. and as such
by practice Is barred from serving on
the Senatorial Campaign Committee.
He has to look after his own campaign
and not that Of his Republican COL
leagues.
The Republicans have 1s Senators
coming up for reelection. while the
Democrats have only Is. The election
in New Jersey, where Senator Barbour.
appointed to Ali the vacancy caused by
the death Of the late Senator Morrow.
must seek reelection, brings the total
number of senatorial elections up to SO.
instead of 80. Some of these Republican
Senators will face stiff battles for re-
election For example, the fight in
New Jersey, where a Democratic Gov
ernor has recently been elected by
huge majority, is likely to be a hard
one Even the Republican leader in
the Senate, Watson Of Indiana, has no
mean contest on his hands this year.
But Senator Watson has such a wide
fo11auytnn In htc State
that the Democrats must have land
slide to beat him. The Republican fac
tions in the Hoosier State, some OF
which have been antagonistic to Wat
son in the past, are lined up for him
this year. Senator Waterman Of Colo
RADIO Is up for reelection in a State
which elected Democrat to the Senate
in 1880, and Senator Glenn of Illinois
must go to the bat where Senator j.
Hamilton Lewis, Democrat, won by
over 100000 votes two years ago. In
Connecticut too, Senator Hiram Blng-
ham Is up for re-election-Connecticut,
where the Democrats show signs OF re-
vival and where they elected governor
couple Of years back.
So far as the Democrats are con-
cerned, there seems little danger OF
their losing senatorial strength because
of the elections, with the possible ex-
ception of McGill of Kansas. McGill
was chosen In 1880 because of intra-
party strife among the Republicans in
that State. Senator Wagner comes up
again In New York. But Senator Wag-
ner has shown himself an able and
hard working Senator, and besides this
year looks like q Democratic year in
the Empire State, unless the Democrats
split into factions there because OF
the contest over the presidential nomi-
nation. The other Democratic Senators
up for reelection are from Southern or
border States and seem sure of victory,
except Senator Robert j. Buckley CT
Ohio. Senator Bulkley won an amaz-
ing victory in Ohio in 1880, as an
opponent of the eighteenth amend
ment, against bone dry Republican
opponent. The business depression had
a good deal to do with the Bulkley
victory. The depression is still on, and
promises to help him again. The drys
in Ohio and out, incensed over such
wet victory In the old home of the
Anti-Saloon League of America, will
do their level best to beat Buckley,
unless, indeed, the Republicans should
nominate a wet to run against him.
which does not appear likely now.
u
II there is general Democratic
sweep the overturn in the Senate may
be considerable, with the Democrats
winning control Of the Senate by half
dozen or even dozen seats Some
of the Senators up for reelection are
facing contests for denomination. The
first senatorial primary scheduled is
that In Illinois on April IL. There
Senator Glenn will run against a Pro-
gressive, Jenkins, who may have the
support Of some of the Progressive
Senators from nearby States. like La
Toilette of Wisconsin. The second
senatorial primary to come along will
be that in Pennsylvania, where Sena-
tor James j. Davis already has been
threatened with strong opposition, par
ticularly II he fails to run as a wet.
April 26 Is the date of the PennSyl-
vania primary. Among those who have
been mentioned as contestants against
delphia Republican boss who was de-
MED seat In the Senate following
the 1925 election. But Wares health
is not likely to permit him to make a
campaign. Representative James M.
Beck, wet leader Of the House, may
enter the primary. Maj. Gen. Smedley
D. Butler, U. s. M c., retired, Is re-
ported to be itching to get into the
political arena. And former Ambas-
sador and Head OF the Tariff Com
mission Henry D. Fletcher is also men
toned as an aspirant. Finally, there |
is Gov. Clifford Pinchot, who might |
well clean up In triangular race for |
the nomination.
e +*
The Committee on Arrangements for |
the Republican National Convention in
Chicago next June Il Is to meet in
Chicago Saturday to deal with the man
ayers of the convention hall and the |
hotel proprietors. The latter have prom |
ised not to increase hotel rates during |
the period Of the convention. When |
the 1920 Republican National Conven-
tion was held in Chicago, the hotels !
doubled and In some cases nladrupled 1