Evening star., 1933-11-27
The Political Mill
By C.. Could Lincoln.

i /
Tomorrow in the third West Virginia
congressional district the voters will 60
to the polls to eject successor to the
who died recently. Ordinarily an iso-
lated congressional election in a border
State would attract comparatively lit
tie public attention. But 1t happens
that this congressional election is the
only one this year to which the politi-
clans may look for indications OF ap-
proval or disapproval Of the new deal"
as practiced by the Roosevelt admins
tration. What happens In this con-
gressional district, therefore. may be
looked upon as sign, a cloud in the
sky perhaps no bigger than a mans
hand, but nevertheless cloud, II the
Democratic candidate Is defeated. On
the other hand If the Democrat wins.
his victory will be hailed as a sign that
the people are still strongly supporting
President Roosevelt and the sun still
shtres upon the Democratic party.
r X \
As a matter of fact, this third con-
gressional district in West Virginia has
been a close battle-ground frequently,
held by Republicans and Democrats,
and influenced by the trend Of popular
opinion. For that reason it really
offers itself as test Of the popularity
of Democratic rule. The campaign
there has been waged without the in
PRODUCTION of outside orators, speakers
from beyond the borders of the State.
The Republicans have picked former
Gov. Gore as their standard bearer. He
was also at one time Secretary OF
Agriculture in Washington. He Is popu-
lar with the farmers, and great part
of the district is agricultural. The
Democrats have put forward former
Democratic State chairman, Andrew
Edmiston. The Democrat has urged
that the voters send him to Washing
ton to uphold the hands OF President
Roosevelt and to show that they are
favorable to the recovery policies OF
the administration. 1t is obvious that
having taken such a position In MS
campaign, a defeat for the Democrat
would be interpreted as black eye Tor
the supporters of the administration. It
must be recognized, however, that the
Republicans have put IN the flelo a
candidate who has a strong personal
following.
The Republicans at Washington con-
making no boasts. They are hoping
their candidate will win. But they saw
West Virginia 60 strongly Democratic a
year ago and realize that the time has
been brief for a swing back of the
political pendulum. Gore has not spent
his time attacking the NJ r. A. and
other features of the Presidents recov-
cry program, but he has talked of the
lack Of real relief to the farmers. Nine
of the ten counties in the district are
farming. Clarksburg, the principal city
in the district, is the center OF coal
mining and steel and pottery and other
industries. The Democrats have under
taken to criticize Gore on the ground it
is unpatriotic for him to run at this
time when the administration is seek
ing to bring about recovery. To this
Gore has replied that it is unfair for
the Democrats to make it appear that
he is running, not against Edmiston but
against the President of the United
States and he has said that he is will
ing TO support the President. any Presi-
dent Of the United States, when he Is
right"
The Democrats elected all six mem
bers of the House from West Virginia
at last years election. Edmiston has
had aid in his campaign from Senator
Neely and from members of the House
delegation. Gore has been doing his
own campaigning almost single-handed.
4 \ X X
The Democratic party in the Bay
State is having its troubles. Next year,
in addition to electing all Of the Massa-
chusetts delegation in the House. the
voters will choose a United States
Senator and Governor and all of the
State officials. At best Massachusetts,
in these latter days is real political
ocratic leaders In the State. today are
both of whom have been disregarded
in matters of patronage by the Roose-
welt administration. Walsh comes up
for denomination and reelection. Ely
has said that he would not seek re-
election. However, Ely is by far the
strongest available candidate, If he can
be persuaded to run again for Cow
ernor. If he continues to decline to
run, then the Roosevelt Democratic
faction doubtless will seek to nominate
its own candidate for Governor. That
faction has been represented by James
Roosevelt, son of the President, and by
Mayor James M. Curley Of Boston. but
more recently particularly by the Pres
ident's son. The other faction has been
called the Al Smith faction. because it
declined to get back Of Roosevelt at
the Chicago convention last year and
stuck to Smith to the bitter end in the
fight for the presidential nomination.
X
The Republicans in Massachusetts,
are not without their troubles, how
ever. They are still cropping about
for a strong leader, which they have
not had since Senator Lodge died and
the late President Coolidge passed out
of the White House. Aside from that,
they have their factional troubles
There was bitter division in Repub-
lican ranks in the recent nayoralty
contest in Boston.
What effect the attack delivered by
Al Smith on President Roosevelt, his
monetary policy and his advisers, will
have in the Massachusetts, situation
remains to be seen. The former Gov
ernor of New York has a wide follow
ing in Massachusetts,. It looks as
though Walsh and Ely would be able
to dominate the Democratic primaries
next year. when candidates for Cover
nor and Senator are to be named.
however. OOCI1 nave accumulated enc
mics. And Mayor James M. Curley
of Boston, who retires from that Office
January 1, still hates them both.
Curley has had an ambition to be
Governor of Massachusetts,. If he gets
into the race for the nomination next
year, the fur will certainly fly.
X X
1t looks more and more as though
the administration eventually. and per-
haps pretty soon, will do something
along the line of reconciliation of sill
Yer. The first step may be the ratifica-
tion of the international agreement re-
garding silver adopted at the London
Economic Conference which would put
the United States in the market for
100000 ounces Of newly-mined sill
yer annually for four years. Either the
mints would be opened to this new silver
or the Government would purchase it,
coin it or hold 1t as basis for the
icc1yopro of ropor n,trrnppv