Evening star., 1932-10-09
BY WILLIAM HARD.

NEW YORK, Oct0Der o.--Alinoot
every time this writer comes TO New
York City he finds lot OF noble ana
elegant people rising up once more
against Tammany. Now they are doing
it all over again in the course OF
series Of events having the mos. pro
found Importance in relation 10 the
national presidential contest.
Tammany has nominated for mayor
of New York a local PROBATE Juoee'
John p. OBr!en, who is DemocFatN
organization regular" and al the SAINT
time, on his long record. great ile.o
of the so-called progressive interest," A
of the common people" and great zoe
tn the special" interests of predatory
wealth" He is held in high personal
esteem by that small fraction OF the
Republican party here which calls itSen
progressive" and liberal The leao-
ers of that tiny fragment OF an otneF-
wise stanchly conservative Repuohcan
oreanization regard M. O'B!ien as
wholly honest ana as completely poS-
sessed of a heart beating true for the
happiness of the masses.
Mr. O'Brien is thus in a way dupl-
cate of Robert Wagner, the Democratic
nsrtv's candidate in New York STATE ior
re-election to the United States Senate.
Mfr, Wagner, like Mr.. O'Brien, was
nudge. Mr.. Wagner. like Mr.. OBrien'
was a regular" Mr. Wagner ike Mr
O'Brien, had nevertheless a convincing
history of devotion TO the wellare OF
the common man"-now the forgot
ten man''-and an equally convincing
history of fearlossness in the face OF
pressllres from high financial quarters.
In the Senate MI Wagner has run
true to form and has done more tnan
anv other one Senator in the last SIX
years to advance Federal activity ON be-
half of labor through legislative pro-
visions in such matters as public works
in furtherance Of unemployment. Both
Mr.. O'Brien and Mr.. Wagner are Illus
trious examples of Temmany's skill,
when necessary, at producing what Mr.
Kipling would have called "hermaphro-
dites" who are regulars and reform
ers" simultaneously.
This produces for the Republicans
here a quite considerable problem
which. however. has its advantages Tor
them as we'll as its disadvantages. Tie
advantages are in the field OF the cur
rent local and national effort to prove
that the Republican party is the party
Of stability" The disadvantages are
in the field of picking Republican can
didates who can rival the Democratic
candidates in warmth of human appeal
and of vote-getting attractiveness.
In this latter field the Republicans
Of this State have indeed done we'll for
themselves in their nomination OF wild
Bill" Donovan of Buffalo for the gov
ernorship. Few men in the country
have more warmth than the soldier
hero wild Bill" At the same time it
happens that the Democrats have NOM
mated against him man also OF SIN
gular charm and of additionally an
actual public record OF progressive
principles.
Mr.. Donovan has not held elective
public office Mr.. Lehman, the Demo
cratic gubernatorial nominee, has been
Lieutenant Governor and has ldentlned
himself with the humanitarian legisla-
ton of Alfred Emanuel Smith and OF
Franklin Delano Roosevelt at Albany.
MI Donovan was born very poor
Mr.. Lehman was born very rich. Yet
it is Mr.. Dcnovan's fate to be stressing
conservative issues such as govern
mental economy, WIlilC ~ Ia 4SAi Leh
mans fate and delight to campaign for
Governor under the slogan. keep Pro-
gressive Government"
Finapcial interests in New York are
thereupon presented with Democratic
party which exhibits itself to their
panied eyes in the following form:
For President, Franklin Delano Roose-
welt, who, upon his return to New
York. instead Of receding from the pro-
sressiveness of his Western tour, has al
once stated publicly that If any class
in the community is getting less than
its fair share of the national income he
will proceed, when President, to re-
distribute the national income in har-
mony with social justice.
For Governor, Herbert H. Lehman
who Is always worrying about how tt
change slums into model habitation:
and who seems to go right along with
Mr. Roosevelt in such projects as un-
employment insurance.
For Senator, Robert F. Wagner, who
at Washington has advocated prodi'
gious expenditures of Federal money FOL
public works and who was the true leg
islative origin of the impulse which ha.
Finance Corporation into its present
proposed vast loans for public works ol
. self -liquidating" character.
For mayor. John P. O'Brien, who. a.
corporation counsel of the city of New
York, was an earnest collaboration with
Mayor John F. Hyisn and Newspaper
Publisher William Randolph Hearst ir
resisting the efforts of local traction
corporatirns tn pet what theV repG rdeC
as an adequate fare for carrying the
populace of New York City to its daily
work.
X
This spectacle of contemporary Dem
ocratic party temperament Is far from
filling Wall Street with enthusiasm. i
would be a great exaggeration to say
that 1t fills it with terror. There Il
nothing truly terroriAing in Roosevelt
Lehman, Wagner, O'Brien. Together
tho,,oIo fhev All the ms ioritv 0f f1ran.