Evening star., 1934-02-19
The Political Mill
BY G.. Could Lincoln.

! All Is not beer and skittles for the
Democrats in Pennsylvania-whic
after all, Is not Q particularly new
state Of affairs. However, the strife
which has developed in the last week
or 81 amonr leading Democrats of
that State does not augur well for
the hoped-for victories Of the party
candidates at the polls next Novem-
Der. The rule Of Joseph F. Guffey,
Democratic patronage dispenser for
the Roosevelt administration in Penn
sylvania, and the selection of the
Democratic State Committee for the
senatorial nomination has been rudely
challenged by Roland S. Morris, Am
bassador to Japan during the Wilson
administration, by Municipal Court
Judge Eugene C. Bonniwen and sew
eral other Democrats Of more or less
prominence in Pennsylvania. Mr..
| Morris, few days ago, announced
! himself a candidate for the senatorial
nomination for Senator, to run In
the primaries May Is against Joe
Guffey himself. 1t was only recently
that Mr.. Morris presided in Washing
ton over the Wilson memorial dinner
at which President Roosevelt made
an important address and which was
attended by the leaders of Democracy
from all parts of the country. Bonni-
well will seek the gubernatorial nomi-
nation against George H. Earle, Sd,
| of Haverford. the selection of the
| Guf1ey organization for that Office.
y y y
Mr.. Morris, in q statement declar-
ing his intention Of becoming a can
| didate for Senator, hit out at the
| attempt of Joe Guffey to dictate who
shall and who shall not be the party
candidates for high Office through the
, medium of Endorsements by the State
Democratic Committee. In this con-
nection the former Ambassador to
Japan had this to say:
The Statewide primary was Gre
ated for the purpose of giving to in
olVldual voters an opportunity to
express directly their choice for can
didates." Morris continued. 1t should
be used for this purpose and not as an
instrument merely to ratify a slate of
candidates previously selected by
party officials who, as such, have no
right to interfere with the fair choice
| OF the party members and attempt to
dictate the party nominees.
Il need not say how gladly I would
welcome the opportunity, if accorded
TO me by my fellow Democrats, to
make the fight against the Republican
candidate for Senator at the Novem-
Der elections and in support of the
leadership and policies Of President
Roosevelt.
Not long ago Mr.. Morris was urged
10 run for Governor by his friends. but
he was averse to getting into that race
and expressed his preference for a
senatorial nomination, to run against
senator David A Reed, Republican,
VINO Is up for reelection this year
Mr.. Bonniwell's comments upon the
Guffey and Earle selections for sena-
torial and gubernatorial nominations
nave been anything but polite. He
said, for example. that he doubted If
GuHey and Earle. whom he dubbed
George the Third" could be elected
| II they were nominated He might
( have gone further and said that prob
ably no Democrat will be elected to
these Offices, but that is not, of course
what Mr.. Bonniwell wishes TO convey
In making his statements. He said:
The impudent challenge presented
10 the citizens Of Pennsylvania on
Saturday to accept a nomination more
contemplate than Penrose or Ware
ever imposed on the people of Penn
SyiVanla demands reputation" said
the fiery judge of the Municipal
Court.
'Of course. Guffey cannot be elected
to the Senate Of the United States,
nor George the Third to the Govern
orship Of Pennsylvania Even the
platform which the lob-hunting State
committee promulgated strains the
intelligence Of every one who reads it.
Whlle this row among the Demo-
Gratis progresses merrily in Pennsyl-
vania, the friends and supporters Of
Senator Reed are pressing strongly for
his denomination and reelection. The
Reed Volunteers" is the title of an
organiza ton which has been formed
by the senior Senator's admirers to
carry on the campaign for nomination
at the primaries next May and also to
neht for his reelection after the
nomination has been made.
With Lieut. Col. Vincent A. Carroll
OF Philadelphia as the chairman. this
central group, of which 40 members
were indicated, voiced a request for
general cooperation In all parts of
the State in behalf Of Pennsylvania's
senior Senator. Reeds formal an
nouncement of his candidacy has nj,
yet been made, but the activity of the
Reed volunteers Is taken to forecast
an aggressive campaign in his behalf.
More than 100000 of the hand
somely printed pamphlets are under
stood to have been started in circu-
lation throughout the State today. It
Is anticipated there will be an early
formation in many communities of
volunteer committees to aid the Reed
campaign.
In the announceent 1t Is set forth
that the organization is not a DO
htical committee nor a campaign COM
mittee." The pamphlet has been pre-
pared under its direction "as a volun-
teer contribution to the cause of Sen
ator Reeds reelection"
The partial list Of membership on
the Executive Committee reveals a
Statewide distribution and leading
figures from the ranks of veterans.
farmers, lawyers, newspaper publishers,
women'S organizations, organized labor
ranks and public life generally.
Something happened in MARYLAND
the other day which will give the
Democrats of that State pause when
they come to consider the selection of
a gubenatorial candidate this year.
particularly If they are considering a
candidate to supplant Gov. Albert c.
Ritchie. The State government put
forward an issue of bonds, for which
bids were asked, and the First Ma
tional Bank of New York was the
successful bidder, offering just small
fraction under 106 for the entire is
sue. A State that can obtain such n
y>~;oo fnr ife hny,Ic flarn I1x,-