Evening star., 1933-09-28
The Political Mill
BY C. Could Lincoln.

II looks as though party pollt1cS afe
about TO dominate the situation In New
York City instead Of . real desire to
clean out Tammany and its "system.'
In desperate effort to prevent the
election Of fusion" candidate for
mayor. . candidate who happens to be
former Representative La Guardia, q
retain . grip on the city administra-
ton. national party leaders are doing
their best to get Joseph v. Mckee, who
became mayor on the retirement OF
Mayor Jimmie Walker, into the race as
an independent Democratic candidate
Mr.. Mckee was reported today ready
to make "an announcement" and the
wiseacres insist that 1t will be an
nouncement Of his candidacy.
The Mckee candidacy may be an
out for the Democratic leadership
headed by Postmaster General Farley
1t may mean the defeat of John r,
Curry, head Of Tammany Hall. and of
Mayor O,Brien. That is probably an
end much desired by the Roosevelt
Democrats. II Mckee can be elected
mayor 1t will also mean that New York
City, the greatest city tn the country
IN the most populous State, will remain
IN the Democratic fold. Furthermore
there are lot Of Democrats who hold
jobs, or who are candidates for Jobs In
the boroughs Of New York, who may
be carried into office on election day
by Mckee victory and who would &c
down to defeat If the fusion" ticket
should come through to victory.
The Roosevelt administration Is moi
willing to back the Tammany ticket
hryn
willing. The President, 1t Is insisted
Is maintaining hands-on policy, But
SO far as the chairman Of the Demo-
cratic National Committee, Postmaster
General Farley, Is concerned 1t Is an
other matter. It Is no secret that Mr.
FARLEY has been taking q lively interest
IN the drive to get Mckee into the race
He has been in conference In New York
and IN washington on the subject
Mckee, Q protege in politics Of Edward
J. Flynn, democratic boss Of the Bronx
Is stanch Roosevelt man, as Is Flynn
II Mckee enters the mayoralty race
tnere are going to be lot of very sore
1usiontsts." There seems little doubt
but what Mckee could have been the
fusion candidate against the Tammany
nominee, either last year or this year
he had been willing to be persuaded
But he backed away. Mckee started
out as mayor to do q lot Of cleaning up
and made himself solid with many
people who desire relief from the old
grating and waste conditions under
Tammany. Judge Samuel Seabury, in
dependent Democrat, Is already out
with q bitter attack on the Mckee
candidacy, and Langdon w. Post. q
A00SaVQlt narNnRrof M hn A
sistant Federal Relief Administrator to
aid the fusion cause and who Is now q
candidate for president of the Borough
OF Manhattan on the fusion ticket. also
has let out q blast at Mckee. The
fusionists insist that Mckee and his
hackers are really playing into the
hands OF the old gang; that Flynn il
he becomes the Democratic boss Of the
city instead Of Curry will be no better
1t u charged that Flynn has put up
. lot Of candidates for Office in the
Bronx who are no better than they
should be. but considerably worse, and
that he Is trying to drag Mckee into
the hight now to prevent the defeat OF
his candidates.
The sudden death Of the late Gov.
Arthur 6eligman Of New Mexico has
changed the political picture in that
State almost over night. Gov. Selig-
man was reported to be desirous Of tax
ing the seat in the Senate formerly held
by Sam G. Bratton, who resigned to
accept appointment as Federal Judge
the Democratic party. The vacancy in
the Senate has existed for months, ap-
parently making 1t clear, according TO
Observers that the late Governor was
ambitious to 60 to the Upper House
himself.
Senator Bronson Cutting, progressive
Republican, Of New Mexico is due to
come up for denomination and re-elec-
ton next year. II the Bratton seat In
the Senate is filled temporarily by ap-
pointment. as now seems probable, the
appointment will be only until the next
general election, which means that two
Senators In New Mexico will be elected
. year from November. II former Rep
resentative 6imms, Republican. now the
husband OF Mrs. Ruth Hanna McCor-
mick Simms, wishes to make q bid for
the Senate, he can run for either seat,
provided he can obtain q Republican
nomination.
Senator Cutting, 1t Is reported, may
OBTAIN Republican nomination or a
Democratic nomination for the Senate.
or both. He is popular with both par
ties IN the State, although there Is q
Republican faction hostile to him. His
support of President Roosevelt in the
last campaign, while 1t embittered the
old line Republicans In the State, made
him strong with the Democrats.
Past chairmen Of the Democratic
National Committee are figuring heavily
In the Roosevelt administration. Two
are members of the cabinet-Secre-
tary Cordeu Hull of the State Depart
ment and Attorney General Homer
Cummings. Glenn Shaver of West Vir-
g1n1a, who ran the campaign of John
W. Davis for the presidency in 1924. is
with the Reconstruction Finance Cor
poration as special assistant. And the
present Democratic national chairman,
James A. Farley, Is Postmaster General.
The Democratic chairman from 1928
to 1882, John j. Raskob, however, is
not IN the administration picture. Mr..
Raskob did more, perhaps, than any
other man, except Alfred E. Smith, to
hook the Democratic party firmly to
the cause Of repeal of the eighteenth
amendment. During the four years of
his craftsmanship Hr. Raskob gave un-
stintingly OF his time, his money and
his influence to the cause of prohibition
repeal. At the Democratic National
Convention In Chicago, and before, Mr..
Raskob, rightly or wrongly. was charged
nomination of President Roosevelt.
Under those circumstances 1t il not
amazing that he should be missing in
the administration Ret.,ln On the
other hand, 1t might be considered
good politics for the Roosevelt Demo-
Gratis to lay aside old enmities. par.
ticularly as they are in the saddle, and
to make use Of the opposition leaders
In the party.
Recurrently there Is talk Of q change
in the Craftsmanship of the Republican
National COMMITTEES, now held by Ever
EFT Sanders Of Indiana, former member
Of the House and secretary to the late
President Coolidge. The rumor keeps
cropping up that the mantle Is to fall