Evening star., 1934-11-22
PoliticalM Mill
By G.. Could Lincoln.

This is the day Of the builders
or rather rebuilders. There are, for
example, many gentlemen who are
planning the rebuilding Of the
G. o. P. There are those who are
| attempting to rebuild the N. r. A.
and the A. A. A. So far there has
been no talk about the rebuilding OF
the Democratic party, although from
hostile sources efforts are being made
| to pry loose James M. Farley, Post
master General, from his office as
| chairman of the Democratic National
| Committee.
Although Republican leaders and
near leaders do not agree on plans
for the rebuilding of their party or as
| to the direction these rebuilding plans
shall take, there seems to be general
| unanimity in the idea that something
must be done to inject new life into the
elephant. Senator william E. Borah OF
Idaho, perhaps the most potent voice
among the people today outside of
President Roosevelt, is going to New
York next month at the request Of
Chase Mellen, jr., chairman of the
New York County Republican Com
mittee. to discuss plans for 'liberaliZ-
ing" the Republican party. What
Mr.. Borah has to say will be inter
esting. How effective he will be in
bringing into line, or casting out of
active control of the party. the old
guardsmen is question.
Il X
The Republicans had a chance to
'go liberal' when they reorganized
their National Committee set-up last
June, meeting in Chicago for that
purpose They did not get very far,
and for the simple reason that
powerful influences which have domi-
mated the G. o. P. for long time con-
tinued to be powerful. These in
fiuences are conservative. They had
no intention of losing their grip on
one Of the major parties, even though
they had for the time being lost their
| grip on the Democrats. Chairman
Henry P. Fletcher was finally selected
| to head the National Committee in
| place OF Everett Sanders of Indiana,
who had been the party manager
during the Hoover campaign in 1882.
He was selected, however, only after
a great deal of consideration had been
given to the matter. and he was found
to be acceptable to the dominating
old guardsmen in the committee, in
cluding j. Henry Roraback Of Connec-
| ticut and Charles D. Hilles of New
York
Mr.. Fletcher had never been closely
identified with the old guard of the
| G. o. P. He had been in the diplo-
matte service: had been a Rough
Rider under Col. Theodore Roosevelt
in Spanish American War days. But
he hailed from PENNSYLVANIA; he was
considered safe. In the Chicago meet
| ing effoits were made to turn to
the Middle West or the West for a
new party chairman. Kansas had a
candidate in John D. M Hamilton
| there was even talk of turning to
Senator Gerald P. Nye Of North Da-
kota, but that was stilled quickly when
Nye said that he would feel free
to campaign for the reelection of
Senator Bob La Toilette of Wisconsin
and other progressives.
| *
Does the proposed rebuilding Of the
G. o. P contemplate another reor-
ganization Of the party's national
committee. with a new chairman?
Mr. Fletcher has declared that the
party must be liberalized. as Mr..
Borah has so declared. The great
| trouble. however, is to bring the ordi-
| nary run of the mine voters to be-
lieve that any one who seems re-
motely to represent the G. O. P. old
guard really desires to liberalize the
| party or to have it stand for new and
more radical ideals. IF there is to be
continued and persistent demand for
change in national chairman and
| other officers of the committee. it
looks as though there would be an
other period of unrest for the Re-
publicans. Mr.. Fletcher, however, is
in the Craftsmanship. 1t would take
lot to dislodge him, in all probabil-
ity, even If there should be a demand
for a change Furthermore, when the
Republicans in national convention
nominate their candidate for Presi-
dent in June, 1886. the candidate viii
pick his own chairman or manager
for the national campaign of that
year. There will be plenty Of voice:
raised against any further tamperine
with the national committee until the
party meets in national convention g
year and a half hence.
|
Mr.. Borah's suggestions for a re-
building Of the G.. o. P will be lis
tened to with great deal Of interest
He is progressive, but he has never
deserted the @. o. P. and gone ovel
to the Democratic enemy, as mum
Der of his colleagues have done in thu
past, although they continue to veal
the Republican label. A lot of people
feel that there should be a minority
party to oppose the Democrats i
there Is not to be domination to 6
degree that amounts almost to die
tatorship in things political and gov
ernmental. The Democratic party it.
self probably would be more healthy i
it had a strong and united minority
in opposition. Undoubtedly there are
still a great many conservatives II
the country who look to the Repub-
lican party as a bulwark and woulc
like to see it become a conservative
political Rock of Gibraltar. With
these conflicting elements, it is likely
to be tough job rebuilding the
G. o. P. They prevented anything
like solid front in opposition to the
Democrats in the recent congressional
elections.
4 4 4 4
Senator Henrik Shipstead Of Min.
nesota, Farmer-Labor, is back il
Washington after a great demonstra.
tion Of the voters in his favor at thu
polls. The official vote in the sena.
torial contest shows that Shipsteac
carried 76 of the 81 counties in hi!
State, and that he polled more vote!
than both his Democratic and Re
publican opponents combined. Hi!
total vote was 503,579 to 284,748 fol
Hoidale, Democrat, and 1871 fol
Holmberg, Republican. In othel
words. he received 21.707 more vote.
than Hoidale and Holmberg together
and his plurality over his neares
opponent was 217,831. A fusion of tht
completest kind between the Demo
Gratis and Republicans could not have
| Il nfn 1,s - 81