Evening star., 1934-02-01
The Political Mill
BY C.. Could Lincoln.


ment of President Roosevelt for the
job but is likely to be the selection OF
the Chief Executive. 1t has been the
practice in both parties to let the
President, or the candidate for Presi-
dent, choose the manager of the party's
national organization. There Is no
reason to believe that this practice
will be abandoned now. 1t is quite
natural under this practice that the
titular head of his party picks q man
in whom he has confidence and whom
he believes to be a friend. Postmaster
James A. Farley, the present Demo-
cratic chairman. is anxious to be re-
leved OF the Craftsmanship and all the
patronage worries that go with 1t. and
to concentrate on his cabinet Job 1t
has been said. Eventually he would
have retired from the chairmanship
Of the committee had there been no
sensational furry over the activities OF
some members Of the Democratic Ma
tional Committee as lawyers practic-
ing before Government departments In
Washington. Because of this excite
ment over the operations of some of
these gentlemen-operations to which
President Roosevelt himself took strong
exception-Mr. Farley may hold on as
chairman longer than would have been
the case otherwise. No one likes to
retire in any measure under fire.
|
When the time comes for Mr. Farley
to step out there naturally will be keen
regret on the part Of the President. Mr.
Farley fought his battles first in New
York State and later throughout the
country, in order to bring about the
nomination in Chicago and afterward
to bring about his election. Mr.. Farley
halls from New York, the President s
own State. He has been and Is chair
man of the State Committee. as well
as the Democratic Committee In fact
Mr.. Farley fits so closely into the pic
ture that 1t is difficult to visualize an
other in his place.
Will President Roosevelt 60 to New
York for a chairman to succeed Mr.
Farley? There is no compulsion to dc
So although there might be natural
inclination. Alfred E. Smith in 1928
picked New Yorker John j. Raskob
10 head the National Committee when
Smith was the presidential candidate
John w. Davis. the Democratic p-esi-
DENTAL candidate in 1924 selected
Glen Shaver of West Virginia, Davis
home State, although Davis was a
New Yorker in his legal profession
James V. Cox of Ohio named Ed
Moore, also of Ohio. to run his cam
palgn IN 1920. Homer Cummings OF
Connecticut, now Attorney General OF
the United States was national chair
man from February, 1919. in the last
part OF the Wilson administration un-
I'll after the 1920 Democratic national
convention. IN July. 1920. when Moore
succeeded him. Secretary of State Cor
dell Hull. then a House veteran from
l,A;~ -
Democratic National Committee from
1922, to 1924, following Mr.. Moore's
DEATH
The situation in New York Democ-
racy seems In state Of iux right now
McCooey. national committeeman anc
Brooklyn boss. has recently died. Johr
F. Curry boss of Tammany, Is abou
) to have the skids put under him. ac.
cordlng TO information now at hand
Mr. Farley might step into the pictur,
as New Yorks member Of the Ma.
tlonal Committee in place Of Mr. Nc.
Cooey when he retires as chairman
But that would still leave him a mem.
Der of the National Committee. ane
there seems to be a drive at present
against having members Of the cab
met and other officials of the Govern.
ment remain as members of the com.
mittee. This drive may subside 1
it doesn't there will have to be lo
more changes in the makeup Of the
National Committee for a number o.
the members hold official positions ir
Washington today. including one Of thu
vice Chairmen. Mrs. Nellie Tayloe Ros.
OF Wyoming. now director Of the mint
Former Senator John S. Cohen o.
Georgia is the other vice chairman o.
the Democratic National Committee HI
is newspaper publisher in Atlanta
Mr. Cohen is an old hand at the game
of politics. He was a strong supporter
of President Roosevelt for the nonina.
ton at Chicago in 1882. and took g
! prominent part in the campaign which
! followed He was mentioned frequently
: as possible appointee to be Secretary
, of the Navy in the Roosevelt cabinet, 6
place which finally went to the ther
: Senator Swanson of Virginia looseninf
, the political log Jam in the Old Do.
mlnion and permitting Senator Byrd tt
come to the Senate. Whether the pres.
ent exigencies Of the political situation
will be cared for by the selection of 9
Southern Democrat as chairman Of the
National Committee remains to be seen
| WI eaiAlAy VAA. SoliCi oCNAio w ON dN d1A'
able for the Craftsmanship should thu
President determine to go outside hi.
own State for the next national chair.
man.
There Is congressional campaign ir
the immediate offing and the Democrat.
naturally will do their best to make q
good showing, in preparation for the
national campaign in 1886 and also t
give the President the support he needs
and at present has-in the Congress
1t had been expected that Mr.. Farley
would hold on until after this cam.
paign was over before the recent furry
over the National Committee makeup
He might do so even yet, If there seems
to be a real necessity for keeping him
on the job. If he does not the Presi.
dent might turn West for national
chairman, provided the right man car
be found. The hook-up between the
West and the South politically worked
we'll for Mr.. Roosevelt in 1882.
The Democratic National COMMITTEES
has vacancies in the office Of secretary
and also the office of treasurer. The
office of secretary became vacant as q
result of the drive on the politico-
lawyer members of the National Com
mittee operating in Washington, and
Robert jackson of New Hampshire
stepped out recently. The Office OF
treasurer was vacated more than two
months ago by Frank c. Walker OF
Montana, and his resignation had
nothing to do whatever with the agita
tion against the politico-lawyers. Mr.
Walker gave up the treasuryship SC
that he might give all his attention to
the work of executive director of Ma
tional Emergency Council and of exec
utive secretary of the Executive COun-
Gil. If the ban on having Government
officials as members and officers of the
National Committee is not to be en-
forced 100 per cent, the National Com
mittee might turn to the present Sec
retary Of the Senate, Col. Edwin A. Hal
sey of Virginia, to fill the Office of secre.
tary of the committee. Col. Halsey has
had long experienced In politics He
| served as sergeant at arms of the