Evening star., 1934-10-21
BY OWEN L. SCOTT.

AS he was leaving Washington to
lend his voice to the campaigns Of his
political friends, Senator Gerald P.
Nye, who is a Non-partisan League
Republican from North Dakota, cas-
ually remarked that he would speak
III the interest Of the following can
didates:
Senator Arthur H. Vandenberg,
Republican, from Michigan, with New
Deal leanings.
Senator Robert M. La Toilette,
running as the head of a new third
party, the Progressive. on a radical
platform in Wisconsin.
Senator Henrik Shipstead, Farmer
Labor party, running on socialistic
platform in Minnesota.
Senator Burton K. Wheeler, left
wing New Deal Democrat, who Is
capturing votes on free-coinage-of-
silver platform in Montana.
Thus there Is reflected the strange
situation into which two-party poll
tics has fallen in this country. Four
candidates offer four separate and
distinct brands Of politics and are
supported for election by the wearer
of a fifth brand. To add to the pos
sible future confusion, each Of the
four is expected to emerge with the
backing of a majority Of the voters
in his State November 6.
- &
If time had permitted, the Nom
partisan League Senator from North
Dakota could have continued his tour
to include speaking engagements in
support Of the following:
Upton Sinclair, Socialist, who is
running for Governor as Democrat
on a Socialistic platform in Cali
fornia.
Lewis w. Schwellenback, radical
Democrat, running for the Senate on
a socialistic platform in the State OF
Washington.
T. G. Bilbo, running for the Sen
ate on a Huey Long share-our-
wealth-party Democratic platform ir
Mississippi.
Then he would have covered the
weird range which politics is taking
today, as candidates propel them
selves out in all directions in search
of issues that will attract voters. That
range extends from the modified
fascism of Huey Long to the modified
socialism of a whole batch of can.
didates in the Northwest and Fal
West. 1t reflects the ferment that Is
occurring in the political attitude oi
citizens throughout the country, and
lot
why it is that President Roosevelt
continues to play a wary game from
the White House.
To succeed, and assure his con.
tinuance in power, the President must
keep many of these political wan
derers herded fairly well into line
otherwise, out of the ferment might
emerge a third candidate, backed
by newly built party organizations
and commanding enough strength tt
play hob in 1886 with the party ir
power. The Roosevelt strategy seems
to be to keep hitched to the New
Deal those groups that Senator Nye
represents. But the price Of that
attachment may get increasingly high
This is shown by reports from can
didates in the field. They are sending
word back to Washington that very
often the man who promises the
most is getting the votes. A hasty
glance at the character of the promises
now being made charts the trend
Swinging down the line Of names al.
ready used, we observe the following
Senator Nye, tied to no party or.
ganization except the Non-partisar
League. He once represented the acme
of radicalism, product of the un.
rest that grew from the long farm
depression preceding the 1929 in.
dustrial depression. Now the Senator
is overshadowed in his radicalism b!
many others.
Senator vandenberg, Republican
but with liberal leanings. He favor!
many of the things President Roose.
velt has done. He is far from a.
radical as Nye but over to the 1ef
Of Democrats like Senators Harr!
Byrd and Carter Glass, and Of Re-
publicans like Senator David Reed
Many see presidential timber in tht
Michigan Senator.
Senator La Toilette, now a third
party leader in Wisconsin. His plat
form tells the voters that the presen
economic system has failed. On tina
basis he wants State ownership o
public utilities; State operation O
factories to make farm machinery
if prices don't come down; huge public
works expenditures; cost OF produc
ton" guaranteed to farmers, and man.
forms Of social insurance.
Senator Shipstead, head Of a thirt
party in Minnesota, but far from q
radical as. the platform on whicl