Evening star., 1934-11-23
Too Arrogant?

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he supported Democratic President
at the polls and since he entered the
White House, is incensed because the
Democratic high command undertook
to let Senator Cutting of New Mexico
and Senator Shipstead of Minnesota
perish at the polls on November 6.
In the opinion of Mr.. Norris this was
great mistake.
Partisan politics makes no appeal to
Senator Norris. He has favored the
New Deal of President Roosevelt and Is
expected to continue favoring it, even
though he thinks that the President
should have given his blessing to Cut
ting and to Shipstead both progress
sives, in their contests for reelection.
Mr.. Norris warning, however, is not
without certain significance. The
Democrats, and particularly the Presi-
dent, have come to count heavily on
the support of the progressives of the
WeSt-and of the East. 1t is clear,
however, that men who are attacked
by. the Democratic organization and
opposed strongly by candidates sup
ported by the Presidents political
lieutenants are not likely to be any
too friendly when the next political
campaign rolls around.
The President, either personally or
through Chairman Farley of the
Democratic National Committee, came
to the aid of Senator Hiram johnson,
another Republican progressive, in
California. johnson probably could
not have been defeated by any Demo-
crat or Republican in the senatorial
contest there this year. The indorse-
ment Of the Democrats, locally and
nationally, made his position even
more impregnable The candidacy of
Senator Robert NJ La Toilette in Wis
consin also was smiled upon by the
President, although efforts were made
by the Democrats to maintain party
regularity in the Badger State.
Senator Norris fails to see why the
Roosevelt administration did not
promptly back up the candidates. of
Senator Cutting and Senator Ship
stead for reelection. The Democrats
in both New Mexico and Minnesota
believed they had chance to win.
They came very near winning in New
Mexico, although Senator Shipstead
in Minnesota was elected by a wide
margin over both his Democratic and
Republican opponents, polling more
votes than the combined total of those
candidates.
The third-party movement in Wis
consin got its boost when the Demo-
Gratis, who had elected a Governor
and a Senator there in 1882, deter
mined early to go ahead and elect a
second Senator in 1884. Had there
been the same kind of Endorsement
by the Democrats for La Toilette as
that accorded to Hiram johnson there
might have been no Progressive party
started by the La Follettes. Perhaps
it is such third-party movements,
represented now by La Toilette in
Wisconsin and Shipstead in Mime
sofa, that Senator Norris sees as a
scourge Of the Democrats, in the event
that they become 'too arrogant"
The Democrats vitally need the aid
of the Progressives of the West. Such
aid made possible their victories in
1882 and this year. And, generally
speaking, the Democratic administra-
ton has done all in its power to
cement the union between the Demo-
Gratis and the Progressives-to give the
Progressives a program they may sup
port. The Progressives, however, who
are in Office have their personal feel
ings and their personal ambitions
much as have the Democrats and the
Republicans. If the Democrats tram
pie on those feelings-well, as Senator
Norris says, it may be great mistake.