Evening star., 1932-01-04
The Political Mill
BY G.. Could Lincoln.


first congressional district tomorrow
the voters will elect a successor to the
late Representative Fletcher Hale, Re-
publican. The Democrats have high
hopes of carrying the district, although
Mr.. Hale won there in 1880 by mar
gin of about 5000 votes. The Repub-
licans, who are backing former Gov
John H. Bartlett for the congressional
seat, have refused to admit defeat, how
ever, and Bartlett is reported to have
made progress In his campaign. His
Democratic opponent is former Repre-
sentative Rogers, who was elected in
1922, when the tide turned against the
G. o. P in the first half of the Hard
ing administration. The district also
went Democratic back in 1912, so a
Democratic victory there is by no
means an unheard-of event. 1t the
Republicans can nose out victory
even by much reduced majority, they
Will feel that they have wonsa psyche
logical victory to usher in the new year.
The Democrats had quite row In
their State convention, which nom1-
mated Rogers. A younger aspirant,
Hurley, was only defeated after what
has been rumored to be strong-arm
tactics. Hurley is supporting Rogers.
1t Is possible, however, that i'll feeling
among the Democrats may in part on
set the advantage which the Democrats
feel Is theirs growing out of hard times
and the fact that several of the States
largest and most important industrial
cities are included in the district. With
! the Republican vote stronger in the
rural districts, much may depend upon
the weather and the ease with which
the voters IN the outlying precincts
are able to get to the polls. If the
Democrats win they will hail the victory
as a forerunner of many greater sue
! cesSeS in the coming national cam
paign. Such a. victory also would in
! crease the Democrats strength in the
House to 220 to 214 for the Republicans
and l for the Farmer-Labor party.
And conversely, if the Republicans win
the Democratic margin OF control in
the House will have been reduced so
that the Democrats will have an actual
majority of only three over the COM
bined opposition.
X X X
William Randolph Hearst steps for
ward as a President maker. In his
radio address delivered Saturday night
JGck Garner of Texas. At the same
time he takes a crack at practically
all the other Democrats most promi-
nently mentioned for the presidential
nomination, including Roosevelt, Baker,
Smith and Ritchie. The burden of his
criticism is that all these Democratic
leaders are internationaliSts, inclined to
follow the policies of Woodrow Wilson.
Mr.. Hearst's attack on Wilson is severe.
There has been more and more talk OF
Garner as a presidential possibility, ever
since the by-elections to fill House
vacancies gave the Democrats a ma
| jority in that body and assured his
election as Speaker. Speakers of the
at the presidential door, but none OF
them has been able to enter. The
late Speaker Champ Clark of Missouri
made a serious bid in 1912 for the
Democratic nomination. but was de-
feated in Baltimore by woodrow Wilson
| Garner, according to Mr.. Hearst, is like
| Champ Clark, and Clark, Mr.. Hearst
insists, should have been nominated IN
1912.
| This is Jackson day week, the week In
| which Democrats are wont all over the
country to get together and celebrate
and talk over prospects of political VIC
| tory Here in Washington, the Demo
cratic National Committee is to stage a
huge Jackson day dinner and a meet
| ing of the national committee the 1ol-
| lowing day. The dinner Is set for
Friday night, with three former Demo. no.
cratic presidential candidates as the
speakers. Cox of Ohio Davis of New
York and West Virginia and Smith
| of New York. The last time big
Jackson day celebration was staged
here it was around o'clock in tpe
morning when the last of the speakers
concluded and the weary dinner guests
went home. The national committee
expects TO bring the dinner to an earlier
close this year, and has allotted 80
minutes to each of the three speakers
| Chairman John j. RaSkob Will preSlde
and will turn over to CLAUDE Bowers the
| Job of acting as toaStmaster wnen tne
speaking begins Bowers was the key
note sneaker of the last Democratic
| National Convention in Houston.
Unless there Is change in the
present program the meeting OF the
Democratic Napnal Committee on on
Saturday will lxb|e a more amicaDle @
| affair than that which was staged here
| last March, when the committee was
torn over the wet and dry issue. Mr
Raskob. If reports be true, is not 70
insist that the committee go on record
| in favor of his home rule" antl-pro-
! hibition plank, although he is expected
| to report the results of poll which
he took of some 10000 contributors
| IN the last Democratic national cam
paign fund on the question OF prohl-
bition. The prediction has been maoe
| that this poll would show an over
| whelming sentiment against the CON
tinuance of national prohlbitlon. Ihere
has been growing tendency on tne
part of Democratic Leaders not 10 az
| TEMPT to make prohibition an out
standing issue at this stage OF the
game, but to seek greater harmony In
Democratic ranks by sidestepping the
wet and dry question. Mr.. Raskob
himself has gone so far as to say that
| he would not undertake to commit
| the party either wet or dry, Dut tnaC
| he would be satisfied with plank
| seeking a referendum on national pro-
hibition in the party platform. Ihere
will be lot of interest, however, IN
the speech which former Gov. Alfred
E. Smith makes at the Jackson DAY
dinner, particularly If he stresses tne
need of making prohibition an nnpor-
| tant campaign ISSUE. IL Ale Eoe" ~ W."
be interpreted as blow at the Foose-
| welt for President movement, Slllce
Gov. Roosevelt and his followers have
been inclined to soft pedal the pro-
hibition issue at present. Undoubtedly
ears viii be close to the ground Friday
night to learn, if possible, whether GOV.
Smith himself is to be counted IN on
the presidential race this year.
X X Il
The Democrats in Baltimore are to
stage a curtain-raiser for the Jackson
day dinner here and the National Com
mittee meeting. Gov. Ritchle Is to
be the guest of honor at a dinner gwen
Thursday night by the Concord Cup.
1t is expected in some quarters tnaI
the Governor of Maryland will an
nounce himself a candidate for the
presidential nomination on that oc-
casinn or if he makes no formal an