Evening star., 1934-03-05
The Political Mill
By C.. Could Lincoln.

The elections to be held this year
| are both extensive and important, al
though there will be no presidential
campaign. For example. thirty-five
States will elect Governors, Thirty
two States will elect Senators, and all
the States will elect Representatives
| in the House. In addition there will
be elections of State Legislatures,
State and county officers in many Of
the States. A formidable array, to
say the least.
But In addition to the numerical
importance Of this years elections
these contests at the polls will give
the first opportunity to test the popu
| larity Of the new deal since PreSi-
dent Roosevelt took Office. Last years
elections were so few and SO scattered.
with Democratic victories registered
in Republican cities and Republican
victories chalked up in Democratic
cities, that it was impossible to make
any real deductions. Then, too, the
Roosevelt program had been only
partially in operation last November
| when the elections were held, and
many Of the policies had not yet had
time for trial. This year, whatever
the local questions involved, the
Roosevelt administration will be large
ly on trial, and many members OF
Congress, certainly practically all Of
the Democrats, will run as supporters
of the Roosevelt policies. And even
some of the Republicans in Congress
will tell the voters, in all probability,
Ethat they stood by the President in
his effort to bring order out of chaos
and to restore prosperity.
| Before the elections, which will be
held November 6, nominations for
office will be made in party primaries
and party conventions. Five Of the
States have not gone to the primary
system Of nomipating candidates for
Congress and for State officers-Con-
necticut. Delaware. New Mexico,
Rhode Island and Utah. They stick
to the convention method. Two more
States, while they nominate for men,
bership in the House by primary, Sc
lect their candidates for Governor
and Senator in party conventions
New York and Indiana.
The first primary for party nomina-
| tions will be held little more than
month hence, April 10, in Illinois.
| Illinois is not electing Senator this
| year, nor a Governor, but it is choos-
ing all its members Of the House and
numerous other officers. There are
six primaries to be held in May, as fol-
| lows: South Dakota, May /; Ala
bama, May /; Indiana. May 8; PENN
sylyania. May Is; New Jersey, May
| Is, and Oregon, May l8. In June
six States hold primary elections:
North Carolina, June 2; Iowa, June
4; Florida, June S.. Maine, June
l8; Minnesota. June l8, and North
Dakota, June 81. July will see three
States holding primaries: Okla
homa, July 3; Montana. July II, and
Texas. July %. August is the popular
primary month this year, with total
of IA. They are: Tennessee, Aug
ust 2; Kentucky, August 4; Kansas,
| August 7: Missouri. August T. Vir-
ginia. August Z; West Virginia, August
| 7; Arkansas, August IA, Nebraska,
August IA; Ohio, August IA Idaho,
| August IA; Wyoming, August 81;
Mississippi, August %; California,
! August 28 and South Carolina, Aug
ust %. Nevada's primary is Septem-
Der 4, and Maryland will hold its pri-
mary not earlier than September 8
nor later than September IS. Other
| September primaries are: Arizona
September IL: Colorado, September
IL: Louisiana, September II; Michi-
gan. September IL; New Hampshire,
September IL; Vermont, September
IL. Washington. September IL; Wis
consin, September 18; Massachusetts.
September l8, and New York. Sep
temher 10. Georgias primary date
Democratic primary only-will be
set by the Democratic State Com
| mittee.
Notwithstanding the demand for
nonpartisanship voiced by Democrats
at this time and by Senator Hiram
johnson Of California, Republican
progressive, it is expected that before
| long the real fight for Republican
gains in the House will be under way.
and for senatorial victory, too. The
primary campaigns have a tendency
always to arouse party feelings. al
though they are only the warming-up
gallops for the general election cam
paign which is to follow.
Many of the primary struggles are
OF much interest this year. The con-
tinuance in Congress of well known
political figures is at stake in these
primaries, as for example in Pennsyl-
vanla, where Senator David A. Reed
Is to have the active opposition Of Gov.
Clifford Pinchot for the Republican
senatorial nomination. Out in Wiscon-
sin Senator Robert M. La Toilette.
one Of the progressive group of Re
publicans. will have a fight on his
hands. too. Senator La Toilette was
flrst elected to the Senate to succeed
his distinguished father in 1925 and
was Overwhelmingly reelected in
1928. He had the distinction of be-
ing the youngest Senator, when he
was first elected. since the days of
Henry Clay. In his almost nine years
of service in the Senate Bob La
Toilette has made record for con-
structive effort. While 1t Is true that
the progressive wing of the Repub-
lican party in the Badger State has
suffered reverses in the last couple
OF years, La Toilette Is still q name
to conjure with in the State, and La
Toilette has a strong following. II
he can win the Republican nomina-
ton it seems entirely unlikely that
Democrat could unhorse him in the
general election. The real fight will
come in the primary. If the Demo-
Gratis who have in large numbers
supported the La Follettes for years
should all 60 into the Democratic
primary this year 1t would make the
fight all the more difficult, for the
"stalwart" Republicans-the regulars
will do all they can to defeat the
Senator.
Out In Michigan Senator Arthur
Vandenberg, one of the Republican
white hopes" is up for renomina-
tion and reelection. Senator VAN
denberg recently made Lincoln day