Evening star., 1934-11-04
BY OWEN L. SCOTT.

Jim Farley this year is counting his
New Deal chickens before they are
Matched, but he Is convinced that
Matching day next Tuesday will bring
little change in his calculations. II
he does not present President Roose-
welt, on the morning of November Z,
with a minimum of 65 Democratic
Senators and at least 300 Democratic
Representatives. he will be deeply
disappointed. II he does produce as
promised, then history will be made,
and for the first time party, in an
off year, will have a tWo-thirds ma
jority in both houses Of the Congress.
Few in Washington are inclined TO
dispute Mr.. Farley's careful calcula-
tions. Frequent comment is heard
that the amount of effort put forth
by the Democratic organization this
year would have done justice to a
much more difficult political task. AS
it was, the hatchers of Republican
political chickens were groggy and
out of training from the first They
had to turn their attention to saw
ing certain key Senators and Repre-
sentatives in order to have the frame
work of an effective opposition. AS
result, a general Democratic victory
is pretty much taken for granted
while interest centers In individual
battles. Should Senator David Reed,
Republican Senate leader from Penn
sylvania, fail to come through, then
the Democratic cup Of joy would be
full to overfiowing.
Money, men and organization went
into tae Democratic effort on rather
grand scale. Party headquarters here
prided itself on a system that enabled
1t to feel the political heartbeat OF
nearly every precinct in every State.
Probably never in any except presi-
dental election years did a political
organization have such highly de-
veloped machine or one that was so
sensitive to popular currents. And
was that machinery carefully used?
Decidedly it was. Was there any
sign that even more than the party
machine played part in the elec-
ton? Quite evidently.
As probably must be the case in q
Government that depends for contin-
uance In power upon retaining the
support Of a majority of active vot-
ers, the whole Federal set-up became
geared to the election.
If DR.. Rexford Tugwen seemed too
much in the public eye, he quietly
pulled away from the scene to go to
Europe. II Gen. Hugh johnson ap-
peared out of public favor. he hurried
a fore-ordained withdrawal. If N. 4.
A. had aroused resentment, it went
into hiding. If checks were to go to
farmers, overtime and Sundays and
holidays were utilized to get the cash
into farm pockets before November 8.
If any State harbored pet waterway
or power or other public works project
that might conceivably offer an op-
portunity for development sometime
in the future, hopeful letters went out
from washington to assure the inter-
ested districts that q survey would be
made of the plans. In department
after department Of Government the
comment frequently was heard:
Things are going to happen after
election. We are slowing down until
the vote Is in. Whatever the outcome,
we'll get back in our normal stride
shortly after November 6. Then every
thing we do won't be misconstrued
and turned into political ammunition
by the Republicans"
But. It is asked, if the Democrats
were sure of victory, with no big up
set for the New Deal, why did they
put in all the effort? Why try to pile
up a record score?
Mr.. Farley has given the answer.
He said that If the party did not win
Overwhelmingly at this time. the op-
position could contend that President
Roosevelt was losing his hold on the
country. Republicans would take
heart and attempt to organize an ef-
fective opposition in Congress and
throughout the country. The 1884
election Is to serve as q referendum
on the New Deal. A countrywide
sweep can be used to still the cry that
the Nation in voting for President
Roosevelt in 1892 had not passed on
the type of thing he was doing It
also, incidentally. might weaken the
chance Of the Republican party to
organize effective opposition by 1886.
More and more, reports coming to
Washington are to the effect that
people wonder whether the President
knows just where he is going. The
Literary Digest poll, showing fewer
New Deal supporters proportionately
at this time than last Spring, bore
out other reports. But a Democratic
sweep would offer an answer. The
party leaders do not want to be faced
with an argument, after the election,
concerning whether or not the Presi-
dent is as strong with the voters as
he was . few months ago.
What will the Democrats do with q
big victory II they win it? Many of
them wonder. There will be more
Senators and Representatives to sat-