Evening star., 1932-11-07
The Political Mill
By C.. Could Lincoln.

-Four years ago the Democratic party
was sunk in the lowest depths. Alfred
E. Smith had been defeated by Presi-
dent He:bert Hoover to the tune OF
444 electoral votes to 81; 210O0,000
votes of the people to 100000 for
Smith. Election day in 1928 fell on
November 4. 1t looked as though the
Democratic party was doomed to dis
! intergration. The solid South" had
been shattered by the Republican on
slaughter rather by the differences
over religion which had grown up with
in the Democratic party itself. Predic-
tions were made that the Democratic
party would pass into the discard; that
new party in opposition to the g: o.:
would be born within the next few
years Today, on the eve of a new
presidential election, is there any one
who would say that the Democratic
party is defunct? 1t is given better
chance of winning tomorrow by prac-
tically all Of the politicians and politi-
cal observers. So much for the whirli-
gig Of time and political fortune.
| \ 4 X
What would have happened to the
Democratic party had there been no
crash OF business and stock market in
this country in 1929 may be matter
Of conjecture. 1t must be admitted,
however that the old party showed
signs of revival even before the crash
came in the Fall of 1929. What will
happen to it if the unexpected should
happen and President Hoover be re-
elected tomorrow Is still another queS-
ton. The election of Mr.. Hoover would
be the death of Democratic hopes, hopes
which to many of the faithful have be-
come almost certainty. And yet
Hoover victory is a possibility. even If
it is not considered probability. Ger
tainly there would be an aStOunded
crowd of Democrats. And then, per-
haps. there would follow real efforts to
bring about some kind of a new political
alignment. For it would seem impos-
sible for the Democrats ever to win a
national election if they cannot win it
this year. with the Set-up all favoring
them because CT the depression and dis
| content the low prices of corn and
wheat and hogs and cattle and the
great unemployment.
If the Republican party go down in
defeat tomorrow. then the G. O. P may
be in for reorganization. President
Hoover in this campaign has led the
attack on the Democrats and led it
gallantly. 1t is unusual for Presi-
dent of the United States to leave
the White House and campaign I'D and
down the length and breadth Of the
country. Yet he has done it, In
deed. he has been forced to do it, or
to allow the contest to go to the Demo-
Gratis by default. The real difficulty of
the President has been that he has had
to fight many of the Republicans as
well as the Democrats, Republicans re-
garded as loyal members of the G.. o.
Ia i've ,l-a
Norris, La Toilette and Johnson. Too
many Of the Republican leaders have
been passive in this campaign. Too
many of them have been passive or
hostile TO the President during the last
four years.
If the G. O. P is defeated now who
is to take hold Of it and build it up
again? OF course the Norrises. the
BCrahs the La Follettes and the john
sons would like to take command. But
SO many of them have today Joined
the Democrats that there seems little
j. likelihood that the Republicans gen.
orally will turn the affairs of the party
over to these insurgents. Rather. many
OF the regular Republicans like to
seiza the opportunity to turn these re-
calcitrant Leaders out CT the party fold
entirely. relying on rebuilding the G
o. p without their assistance in the
1Cur years 10 come.
The Democrats four years ago. in the
hour of their great defeat, went to
work to spread propaganda against the
Republican party scientifically. and
particularly against President Hoover
They set up an organization here for
the purpose Of discrediting the Presi-
dent headed by Jouett ShouSe and
operated for the main part by Charles
Nicholson. director Of the Democratic
publicity bureau. Their work was made
the easier because of the state of resent
ment into which millions of the people
fell when they were wiped cut of the
stock market and when prices of farm
produce fell to unheard-of low levels.
Perhaps the Republicans may take a
leaf from this Democratic book 1t is
clear that the Democrats are to take
command at a time extremely crucial.
If there is no further upturn in busi-
ness and employment after Gov. RooSe-
welt becomes President-provided he be
elected tomorrow-the Democrats are
going to be in for just the kind of
hard Shedding that the Republicans have
faced now for three years. There is
going to be an avalanche of criticism.
\ The suggestion has been made in some
quarters that the Republicans. should
should Senator George H. Moses of New
Hampshire be defeated for reelection
might well engage the services of Mr.
Moses to take the Democrats for a
ride With cauStic tongue and ready
pen. the New Hampshire Senator might
be able to do real job on Gov. Roose-
welt and his supporters after March 4
next.
Mr. Roosevelt if he become President.
will have to ride herd on lot of dis
cordant elements in the Democratic
party. They will be represented in Con-
gress. and what Congress does sends the
temperature of the country up or down
He will have his Patmans and Rankins
and Goldsboroughs demanding the pay
ment of the soldiers bonus and fiat
money. He will have his O'Connors and
Blacks demanding beer Immediately. He
will have his Sheppards and HullS op-
posed to running high-handed over the
constitutional prohibition against the
sale of alcoholic beverages. These dis
ccrdant elements have been solidified for
the campaign. But what after victory
has been won? To whom will go the
SpoilS of war? In other words. it looks
as though Democratic administration
would be in for tough time. And some
of the Democratic leaders are looking
ahead to squally days and perhaps a
lot of trouble for the party.
x X x
Should the present trend of senti-
ment to President Hoover become suf-
flcient tomorrow to give him 266 cleo
toral votes and victory in the presi-
dental race, it will have been the
greatest upset in recent political his
y tory. And to Mr. Hoover himself must
go. under such circumstances. the
credit for victory 1t will have been a
personal victory of huge size and sig
nificance Republican campaign lead
! ers insist that victory is to the Presi-
dent tomorrow. The only reason they
are saying this is found in the ap-
peal that the President himself has
! made to the voters. millions of whom
) were prepared to vote the Democratic