Evening star., 1932-06-02
The Political Mill
By C.. Could Lincoln.

Senator Robert F.. Wagner of New
York 1t is reported In Roosevelt-fo
President circles, may be the choice OF
the Roosevelt people, including the Gov
ernor of New York, to place Gov. Roose-
welt in nomination at the Democratic
National Convention. Whether Sena-
tor Wagner himself will accede to such
plan is still a matter of doubt. The
Senator has been a friend Of that other
eminent New Yorker who is seeking the
presidential nomination. Alfred E.
Smith. as we'll as OF Gov. Roosevelt.
Reports from New York are to the
effect thot Senator Wagner has infor-
mally indicated that he will make the
nominating speech for Roosevelt II he
is invited to do SO. The Senator him
self comes up for reelection this year.
If he makes the nominating speech for
many, after all, is not so hostile to the
Governor as has been made to appear
in some quarters.
The great State of New York is sure
ly going to be in the lmelight at the
coming Democratic National Conven-
ton. In the first place, the two candi-
dates who 90 into the convention with
the largest blocks of delegates sup
porting them are both New Workers,
Roosevelt and Smith. Mr. Smith is
to be a delegate at large. Gov. Roose-
welt. because of reasons Of political
delicacy," refrained from having him
self included as a member of the New
York delegation. The very acceptance
by Smith of the proposal to make him
e delegate to the convention has been
used as an argument that Smith is not,
after all, real candidate for the presi
dental nomination, but merely in the
race to take delegates away from Gov
Roosevelt. And then there is Mayor
Jimmy Walker The mayor also is
delegate at large to the national con-
Iention. He has been placed in the
Smith camp. 1t has been suggested he
would make one of the seconding
speeches for Al Smith. Recent reve-
lations before the Legislative Investi-
eating Committee in New York have
given the mayor plenty of added no.
torlety, but not just the kind that
would warrant his taking a prom nent
part in the Democratic National Con-
venticn.
The Roosevelt forces ere intent upon
maintaining strong grip on the Rules
and Credentials Committees of the ma
tiOnal convention. and they have a de-
sire also to deal effectively with the
Resolutions or Platform Committee.
Bruce Kremer, Democratic national
committeeman from Montana. long a
prominent figure in the party. is men
toned as the Roosevelt selection for
the chairma nship of the Rules Com
mlttee. and Senator Cordell Hull of
Tennessee for the chairmanship OF the
Committee on Resolutions. The oues-
ton Of changing the rules OF the con-
vention so that a me jority NAV nofni-
nate candidates for President and Vice
President is still in the air depending
II seems on the measure of confidence
the Roosevelt people have. II they
believe that their candidate. Gov.
Roosevelt can be nominated without a
great deal OF difficulty under the two
thirds rule, they are not likely TO seek
the abrogation Of the two-thirds rule.
II they feel otherwise, then a deter
mined effort to have the convention
go to a majority rule is likely TO follow.
On Monday the Republican voters IN
Iowa Will decide whether thev wish to
have Senator BrCokhart as their can
dlcate for another six-year term in the
upper house of Congress In the
primary. including Brookhart are six
candidates for the Republican sena-
toriel nomination. Under the State
law candidate must receive 35 per
cent OF the votes cast to win a nom
ination if there are more than two
candidates for the nomination. Brock
hart has won many hard battle in
Iowa and has had a strong following
although he has been pretty consistently
opposed by the conservative Repub-
llcars in the State The latter went
so far as to defeat him for election in
1924. when Bro0khart supported the
La Toilette presidential ticket and op-
posed the Coolidge ticket But Senator
Brookhart came back strongly in 1925
winning the nomination against the
late Senator Cummings Snd election in
the following November Today some
of his old friends are arrayed against
him. One is former campaign man.
ager for Brookhart, Louis Cook wet
Henry Field. who has sold seed tc farm
ers all over the State and who operates
radio plant is making a brisk cam
paign and has a wide following Unless
Brookhart or one Of the other candi-
dates receives 35 per cent Of the votes
cast on Monday. the nomination goes
,
where foes Of Brookhart believe they
can defeat him.
Senator William E. Borah Of Idaho
issued a statement in support of the
Brookhart candidacy in which he said
"Brockhart is one of the best in
formed men in the Senate or in the
country on the subject of agriculture
and kindred subjects. He is a deep
student of this problem. He never tires
in his effort to serve the cause Of agri-
culture I would regard the cause of
agriculture as seriously embarrassed
should we lose Brookhart's assistance
in the Senate"
Unless the Brookhart people and the
Progressives generally feared for The
political fate of the Senator from Iowa,
such statements would not be sought at
this time.
President Hoover Is seeking an out
standing figure in the business world
in the Middle West to run his campaign
for reelection. it is reported in in
formed circles today. He wants. it Is
said. such a man as Alexander Legee,
chairman of the Board of the Interr1a-
tional Harvester Co.. whom he made
the first chairman of the Federal Fatm
who headed the board of Sears, Roe
buck e. Co That is the caliber Of man
for whom the search is being made.
/ If the President has under Considera-
ton a candidate OF that kind for the
craftsmanship OF the Republican Ma
tional Committee. he has not revealed
it. and it is believed the search is still
going forward
1t is not necessary. 1t Is said that
the new chairman of the Republican
National Committee shall be poll
tician or shall have had previous ex-
perience in political office. There will
be plenty of politicians to help out in
the Republican camp The chairman,
however. must be man to focus the
attention Of the country and to raise
necessary campaign funds.
Furthermore, If possible. the new,
chairman will be resident Of one OF
the big States OF the Middle West If
it is impossible to find the man in that
section OF the country. the President
and the Republican leaders may turn
tn the East 0r even to the Far West