Evening star., 1934-05-31
The Political Mill
By G. Could Lincoln.

The struggle for supremacy in the
Democratic party Of Maryland Is
becoming more and more intense.
Gov. Ritchies bid for q nth term as
Chief Executive Of the State carries
with it more than q mere personal
candidacy for ONCE. II he wins,
Ritchie remains the dominating force
in the party In Maryland. If he loses.
the control passes to other hands. II
he loses, the Ritchie organization, or
machine, will be disintegrated or pass
to some other leader. The recent
trotting out Of George L. Radcliffe for
Governor, and the announcement by
Senator Tydings that he believed Mr..
Radcliffes candidacy was an excellent
solution of the problem which has
arisen with Gov. Ritchie and Mayor
Jackson Of Baltimore fighting each
other for the gubernatorial nomina-
ton, have been indicative Of the
mixed-up situation in Maryland Demo-
cratic politics. Senator Tydings, an
aggressive. positive force In the politics
Of his State, q young man, holds an
important position In the struggle
which is going on. At the time he
said that he would support Radcliffe
for Governor, he also said that he
would campaign vigorously for Ritchie
II the Governor would become candi-
date for Senator this year.
And now the Ritchie camp has re-
torted that 1t will be glad TO support
Radcliffe for the senatorial nomina-
tion. or will make Radcliffe that offer.
Howard Bruce, Democratic national
committeeman, who has been regarded
as the senatorial candidate of the
Ritchie group, is entirely agreeable
to step aside and allow the nomina-
ton for the Senate to 60 to Rad
cltffe. Mr.. Bruce Is an ardent sup
porter Of Gov. Ritchie and has been
prominent in the movement to give
Richie q NTH term in his present
ONCE. The fact that Radcliffe has
signified his willingness to consider
running for Governor seems to COM
plicate matters. II he agreed to 60
on the Ritchie ticket, this would leave
Senator Tydings rather out on . limb.
II Senator Tydings persisted, under
such conditions, In his opposition to
the denomination of Gov. Ritchie,
then his only alternative would seem
to be support Of Mayor Jackson.
Beating a Governor Of a State for
denomination Is no easy Job, as many
aspirantS have discovered In MANY
States. Gov. Ritchie has . strong or
ganization back of him. He has an
nounced his willingness to run for a
NTH term and, indeed, his candidacy
for that term. There are q great
many Democrats in Maryland who
Will have to be shown Just why Mr..
Ritchie, who has made q successful
Governor for many years, should be
turned out In order to put some one
else In ofice. Richie has had to
nght for denomination in the past.
This year. however, the battle against
MIN has appeared to be more formi-
oable than ever before. Unless the
various pieces in this political puzzle
can be satisfactorily adjusted within
the next couple of months. it looks
like knock-down. drag-out fight.
II Is perfectly true, apparently. that
Gov. Ritchie could have the senatorial
nomination this year If he would take
1t. His acceptance of that nomina-
ton looked like an easy way out. But
the Governor wishes to stay In An
napolis rather than to 20 to Washing.
ton. And a lot of his friends are
backing him up in that stand. He
could have gone to the Senate years
ago. probably, II he had desired to do
so. His interest in government has
lain largely in Maryland. He has
been a great defender of States
rights and an opponent Of centraliza-
tlon OF government In Washington.
II ne became q Senator 1t would GER
tainly not be a new deal" Senator.
Gov. Ritchie Is one of those outstand-
ing Democrats who has not been con-
suited or taken into the inner circle
Of the Roosevelt administration in any
way. 1t Is even conceivable that the
Roosevelt administration would prefer
to see Ritchie remain in Maryland
instead Of coming to the Senate, al
though Ritchie is a strong party man.
But he has some old-fashioned ideas
that would not click well with the
proposals advanced for dealing with
industry and agriculture by the ad-
ministration.
y
President Roosevelt yesterday re-
R6fuad Ifr,ctinfaI
Progressive Republicans, both follow
ers Of the late President Theodore
Roosevelt. One was Gov. Clifford
Pinchot of Pennsylvania, who recent
ly was defeated in the Republican
senatorial primary by Senator David
A. Reed, and the other was Senator
Hiram johnson of California, who in
1882 broke away from the Republican
national ticket, head by his dearest
enemy, former President Hoover, and
campaigned for the election Of Presi-
dent Roosevelt. Gov. Pinchot spoke
his praise Of the President at Gettys-
burg, where he introduced Mr.. Roose-
welt to the throng who had come to
hear his Memorial day address. SEN
ator Johnson's words of praise were
delivered in the Senate chamber, fol-
lowing a bitter attack made on the
administrations reciprocity tariff bill.
While it will not be news that either
johnson or Pinchot think well of
President Roosevelt, their statements
were not without their political sig
nificance They seem to indicate
clearly that the Progressive Repub-
licans who rallied to the support of
Roosevelt in 1892 are still sticking to
him-although, as in the case of Sen
ator johnson, some Of them are not
willing to 60 along with all his pro-
posed legislative measures. Gov.
Pinchot's hearty commendation Of
the President might mean that he
was willing to aid In the election Of
the Democratic candidate for the
Senate, Joseph F. Gpffey. over Sen
ator Reed, regular Republican, and
an opponent of the new deal policies.
Certainly no one could be more ex-
travagant In praise of President
Roosevelt than were these two Repub-
lican Progressives. Gov. Pinchot went
.y.~, f,,rthar o-A ofto,HoI fta IJoovor