Evening star., 1932-02-18
The Political Mill
D. G. Could Lincoln.

and are fighting each other. State.
ments by factions and candidates on
the Democratic side are flying thick and
fast. Democrats who remained "regu-
lar" in 1928 are attacking the Hover
crats" and the ''Hoovercrats" are Lam.
basting the regulars. But even more
serious Is the effort Of certain opponents
Of the nomination Of Gov. Franklin D..
Roosevelt Of New York for President to
make 1t appear that Roosevelt Is the
candidate Of those forces which fought
former Gov. Alfred Z. Smith in 1928.
including the Ku Klux Khan. II the
Democrats permit that old controversy
to get into the pre-convention campaign
again this year no one can tell Just
where it will end.
All members Of the Democratic party
Of high standing and qualifications for
the Job Of Chief Executive have q right
to become candidates for the presiden-
tial nomination. But II they or their
supporters begin to call other candi-
dates hard names Q very different pic
ture Is presented. It looks like .
Democratic year unless the Democrats
commit hara-kiri. A bit Of cold, hard
sense Is needed right now among the
Democrats.
Whether he likes it or not. Gov.
Roosevelt today Is facing what may be
the supreme test in his candidacy for
the presidential nomination He has
before him the case Of ShMfR Thomas
M. Farley Of New York County. . Tam
many leader. The hearing Of Farley BY
the Governor has been completed. The
Governor may reach . decision any
moment. He may be charged with
playing politics either way he decides.
But one thing Is very sure, II he keeps
Farley on the Job without some very
good explanation for 50 doing, his stock
In the country outside Of New York will
in all probability take . decided slump.
He may find q good reason for retaining.
but it has been generally expected that
Farley will get the gate. The Gov
ernor. as the hearing OF Farley began,
laid down Q far-reaching and important
opinion that Q public official should
source Of his private income II 1t be
shown that he has made large bank de-
posits or lives beyond his salary. II the
Governor continues to hold to that posi-
ton, It may give other Tammany lead
ers something to think about. Farley's
bank accounts showed deposits Of
1857. 900, and there has been much talk
of a wonderful tin box" out OF which
Mr.. Farley drew his money.
Not content with an investigation OF
the government of New York City, the
Republican Legislature Is intent now
on bringing about legislative tnvesti.
CATION Of the conduct OF the government
of New York State under Gov. RooSe-
sv.c on
the DAYS when Al Smith was chief
executive at Albany. The Democrats
are charging that the purpose Of the
Republican Legislature Is merely po-
litical, an effort to get something on"
Gov. Roosevelt If he becomes the
Democratic nominee for President. The
New York Assembly put through the
resolution for the investigation yester-
day. It already had been adopted BY
the State Senate.
II local victories mean anything this
year and can be interpreted as tndi-
eating a national Democratic victory In
November, the Democrats are certainly
meant to win. Out In Cleveland, Ohio,
the Democratic candidate for mayor,
Ray T. Miller, was triumphAntly elected.
breaking q record Of Republican rule in
that city lasting for II or 18 years.
Mayor Miller is an old Notre Dame
foot ball player He was elected county
prosecutor IN 1927 and again in 1929,
and while serving as prosecutor he sent
several Republican officials to jail. His
victory this week In the mayoralty race
has been blow to the Republican
organization Of Cleveland, headed by
Maurice Maeschke, Republican national
committeeman from the Buckeye State.
Miller has been associated in the past
Bulkley, who was elected as Q Democrat
to the Senate In 1890. Senator Bulkley
had this to say about the victory Of
Mayor Miller:
THE victory Of the Democratic
mayoralty candidate may also be in
terpreted as confirmatory Of the general
political trend away from the Repub-
lican party, and this patent fact gives
Miller's success q political aspect that
transcends mere local boundary lines.
In electing . Democratic mayor the
voters Of Cleveland kept unbroken the
uniformity Of Democratic successes in
other large centers-notably in New
York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut
in the past few months"
While the Texas Senators, Sheppard
and Connauy. were putting forward
Speaker John N. Garner for the Demo-
cratic presidential nomination this
week, Representative Henry T. Rainey
the House. declared himself favorable 10
the nomination Of Gov. Roosevelt Of
New York for President. The Texas
Senators make no bone about declaring
that the Democrats Of Texas will send
their delegation, 46 strong, to the Demo-
cratic National Convention to vote for
Speaker Garner They say he Is no
"favorite son" candidate, but Q national
candidate for the Democratic nomina-
tion for President, and that his quail
fications make him 50. "Mr Garner" I"
their statement reads, "is presented to
the Democracy of the Nation In no mar
row sectional sense"
Speaker Garner Is not attacking any
Of the other candidates He has made
it clear that he personally Is not inter.
ested in any movement to stop" any
other candidate. As q candidate he Is
for himsek and not for some one else.
That is q position with which no other
candidate can quarrel honestly. But
his hat must now be considered in the
r1NG alOnS WIFI JIlc IldtS UA kSOOccNcitp
Richie smith. White, Murray. Byrd
and several others who have been
brought forward by their friends.
Just how far the Anti-Roosevelt
Democrats are willing to 60 with Mr..
Garner remains to be seen. They have
looked to his entry into the race as an
aid In their movement to prevent Roose-
velt's cinching the nomination. But
some Of these anti-Roosevelt Democrats
have other fish to fry. The Speaker,
however, Is not regarded as q radical,
not by q jugful, and he may be salts
factory to some Of the forces which are
opposing Roosevelt strenuously, though
quietly.
Z
II the Republican vets undertake to
put q referendum plank in the party's
national platform they are likely to
tread on the toes Of the militant vets
as well as the extreme drys. No sooner
had it been announced that a referendum
plank was in the making, calling for
an expression by IS States in favor Of