Evening star., 1933-03-20
The Political Mill
By G. Gould Lincoln.


former Gov. John r. Erickson Of Mon
tana to be Senator IN place Of the late
Senator Thomas J. Walsh Of Montana
has been questioned BY Judge John M.
Bourquin. Federal district Judge. The
Judge. according to dispatches. has sent
letters to members Of the Senate charg-
ing that Gov. Er1ckson's resignation
ernor to become 0overnor-waS really
Q consideration" for the appointment
Of Erickson to the Senate In other
words, that the elevation Of the heu-
tenant governor to the ofiice Of Gov
ernor was contaminated with the un-
derstanding that the former Governor
was to be made Senator. What the
members Of the Senate win do about
the matter iS q queston-although
some Of them have already expressed
the opinion that II the Governor has
the right to appoint to MI this vacancy.
the Senate cannot 60 back Of the ap-
potntment. It IL quite true, however,
that the Senate has gone back OF the
nomination and election Of at least two
Senators in recent years to prevent
their taking their seats.
A search Of the records since 1910
does not show any case where Q Gov
ernor has resigned and had himself
appointed to the Senate by q succeeding
lieutenant governor. The direct elec-
tion Of Senators began after the adop-
ton OF the constitutional amendment
providing for such election in 1918.
Prior to that time Senators were elected
by the State Legislatures.
When the late Senator Knute Nelson
Of Minnesota died in 1923 there was
talk Of the resignation of the then Gov.
Preus Of Minnesota 70 that he might be
appointed to m the vacancy in the
Senate. There was some correspond
ence about the matter conducted with
the late Senator Dillingham; Of Yer
mont. then chairman of the judiciary
Committee, and 1t Is recalled that Sem
ator Dillingham; did not encourage the
plan to have Gov. Preus resign and
then have himself appointed to the
Senate.
Many Governors Of States with sena-
torial ambitions have become candidates
for the Senate TO fill vacancies and
have entered the nominating primaries
and elections to MI those vacancies
But none have adopted the course OF
Senator designate Erickson, at least
since the beginning Of the direct elec-
tions OF Senators. When the late Sen
ator CarawAy Of Arkansas died there
was discussion then as to the possibility
OF the Governor Of that State resigning
and having himself appointed to fiji
the vacancy. But he appointed Mrs.
Carsway, the widow of the Senator. and
Mrs. Caraway was later nominated and
elected to the Senate.
The death Of the late Senator Howell
OF Nebraska Republican brings to the
Senate another rDemocrat-since the Gov
ernor OF Nebraska is a Democrat, the
redoubtable Charley" Bryan, Brother
Charley. Gov. Bryan, If he has sena-
tor1al aspirations might take a course
similar to that Of former Gov. Erickson
OF Montana, resign and have himself
appointed to the Senate However, II
has generally been expected that former
Senator Gilbert M. Hitchcock would be
appointed to I'LL the Howell vacancy
Mr.. Hitchcock also has been mentioned
as possible appointee to a foreign
diplomatic post Arthur Mullen. Demo-
cratic national committeeman for Ne
braska and exceedingly active during
the Roosevelt campaign for President
might be rewarded with appointment to
the Senate. Mr.. Mullen's name has
been used in the past in connection
with appointment to the Roosevelt cab
met and to ether Office
The flling Of the Howell vacancy
with Democratic Senator will give
the Democrats an even go Senate seats,
and will leave only IS to the Republic
ans and'l to the Farmer-Labor party
InH Is an almost unprecedented party
majority IN the Senate that has now
!allen TO the Democratic party. 1t is
Just one less than the record party ma
jority In the Senate. that of 81 Re-
publicans in the 60th Congress. The
appointment Of a strong Roosevelt fol-
lower, such as Mr. Hitchcock or Mr..
Mullen. would make still easier the pas
sage OF the administrators legislative
program through the Senate.
Already skeptlcs are beginning to say
tnat President Roosevelt must look for
sterner resistance to his legislative pro-
posals than has been shown by the
Congress in its mad gallop to put
through the emergency banking bill. the
economy bill and the beer bill. But
notwithstanding these prognostications
OF trouble, the cards all seem to lie in
President Roosevelt's hand. He has
made a deep impression on the Amer
lean people. He Is In q position to 70
to the people over the heads of recalci-
trant members Of Congress, II it be-
comes necessary. The President has
done nothing more effective since he
has been In Washington than his radio
address to the people. explaining the
emergency banking bill and the condi-
tions that confronted the public. It
would be Just too bad for any group Of
Senators or Representatives who un-
dertook to ohstruct. administration
measures-particularly If they belonged
to the Presidents own political party
II he should 60 on the air and use
names Of the obstructionists. The
chances seem to be that the Demo-
Gratis in both houses will stick to their
President like q burr. They would.
under present circumstances, be stupid
to do otherwise.
4 -
What the Senate special committee On
campaign expenditures and its new
chairman, Senator Logan Of Kentucky