Evening star., 1934-10-22
Olitical Mill
By G.. Could Lincoln.

DETROIT, Mich, October a.
President Roosevelt's address to the
American Bankers Association In
Washington on Wednesday Is awaited
with the keenest interest in the Mid
die West, as well as In other parts
OF the country. Bankers and indus
trialists feel that they have been made
the target of the administration for
q long time. They are wondering II
there is to be a let-up and If there
Is to be some measure Of encourage
ment given them. And the poll
ticians also are turning their eyes
toward Washington. The Presidents
speech will come less than two weeks
before the voters 60 to the polls in
the congressional elections. There
has been widespread resentment
among bankers, industrialists and
business men against some features
Of the New Deal and, while they are
in the minority, the vote and in
fluence of these groups is not entirely
negligible.
Talk of the creation of a central
bank, Of further devaluation Of the
dollar and other moves toward inf1a-
| ton, emanating from Washington,
has not operated to lessen the un-
certainty and fears among business
men They are very anxious to know
what the future has in store for them
along the line Of Government tinker
ing with currency and credit. The
bankers have been criticized because
they do not make more loans and
business has been attacked because
1t does not 60 ahead and expand
its operations. But the fact that the
more than billion dollar fund
authorized to be loaned to industry
by the r. F. G. and the Federal Re-
serve System has been utilized for
loans to q pitiable degree would seem
to exonerate the private bankers to q
great extent. And 1t would also tend
to prove that 1t Is possible to lead
industry to the watering trough, but
exceedingly dificult to make 1t drink
while uncertainty Of governmental
action remains.
The suggestion Is made in some
quarters that the administration is
to swing to the right and away from
the left and to seek more friendly
attitude from business and financial
institutions, though perhaps not until
after the elections. A lot Of the
people in this part of the country
are wondering If this be true. They
are therefore watching to see II the
Presidents address will be q cracking
down on the opponents Of the New
Deal or whether there will be some
definite and reassuring statement Of
the Governments future course.
| 4
The coming elections hold a num-
Der of opportunities of creating new
leaders among the Republicans from
a national point Of view. Take, fol
example. the elections in Kansas
There Gov. ALI M. Landon is seeking
reelection on q Republican ticket. He
was successful even in the year Of the
Roosevelt landslide. If he wins again
as is confidently predicted, Landon
may 90 to the next Republican Ma
tional Convention as q favorite son
candidate for the presidential nomi-
nation of q number Of the States In
the neighborhood of Kansas. While
his friends and admirers are not look
ing at present for him to head the
next Republican national ticket, they
figure that he will have to be given
consideration, and that he may wind
up with the vice presidential nomina-
ton in his pocket.
In Nebraska there Is q strong Re-
publican candidate for the Senate
Robert G. Simmons. who had 10 years
experience in the House before he re-
tired two years ago. Simmons
chances Of victory are said to be not
so good as those Of Gov. Landon in
Kansas. Nevertheless, he is impress
| ing himself upon the voters in Nebras-
ka and in nearby States not only as
o 'hard-hitting campaigner but also
as a very able speaker. If he should
by any chance succeed in defeating
the administrations particular friend
Representative Burke, in the sena-
torial race, Simmons would loom up as
very real leader in this Western
country.
Michigan Republicans are pinning
their hopes on Senator Arthur Van
denberg. He has already been six
years in the Senate and has made his
mark there as one of the younger
group of G. o. P. legislators. If he
wins in his fight for reelection, as
many of the Republicans believe he
| will, Vandenberg will be more and
more discussed as presidential pos
sibility by members of his party
| While he scouts the suggestion that
he is in any way candidate for pres
idential honors, and holds that he is
q candidate for just one Office, that OF
United States Senator, the discussion
of vandenberg as probable candi-
date two years hence to head the Re-
publican ticket is growing. 1t began
in q small way last Winter. The Mich
igan Senator angered some of his
colleagues from the East because he
did not attack the New Deal more
strongly in his speeches, but II he
wins In a big way in Michigan, which
has q very sizable electoral vote to
deliver, lot of this criticism may dis
appear.
An unusual senatorial election is
| taxing place IN NepraSKa TINS year,
one that is not attracting widespread
attention. 1t is for the unexpired
term of the late Senator Howell, Re
publican, whose seat was filled by
the appointment of Senator William
H Thompson, close friend of Gov.
Bryan. Thompson has retired from
the field. Simmons, the Republican,
and Burke, the Democrat, are seek
ing election for the six-year Senate
term which begins January 3 next
But it Is also necessary to elect a
Senator for the interval from No
vember 6, election day, to the be-
ginning of the new Congress, on
January 3. So the Republicans have
put up ]. H. Kemp Of Fullerton and
the Democrats Richard C. Hunter of
Omaha. The victor will be Senator
for less than two months. He prob
ably will never sit in the Senate as a
result of his coming victory, for no
one now expects a call for special
session Of the old Congress before it
expires. But he will have the title
Of Senator and salary for the short
period for which he is elected.