Evening star., 1934-08-26
PRESIDENT FAILS
TO STOP SINCLAIR
Radical Wings Gains in
California Menace New
Dealers Rule.
(continued From First Page.)

Continued From First Page)
D. Stephens in Mississippi and pre-
vent political comeback for former
Senator Cole L. Blease. The pic
turesque Blease Is one Of eight candi-
dates for the South Carolina Demo-
cratic gubernatorial nomination. Sem
ator Stephens has had to come to
President Roosevelt for a helpful ges-
ture in the face Of charges that he
Is no more new dealer than Senator
Ellison D. Smith of South Carolina.
Strike Hurts Radicals.
The radical wave in the California
race is reported to have lost some
of its force in the reaction to the
San Francisco strike. Private ad-
vices to Washington suggested, never
theless, that Sinclair is holding his
apparent lead over more conservative
candidates. 1t was reported that de-
spite an admission fee, his rallies were
drawing far larger crowds than the
free rallies of his opponents; that
300 Sinclair clubs were active through
out the State and that nearly 100000
copies of a pamphlet outlining his
rehabilitation plans for the governor
ship had been sold.
For the first time in history, the
Democratic registration in California
has outrun the Republican. Demo-
cratic leaders pointed to official re-
turns from the Missouri primary show
ing the heaviest Democratic vote ever
recorded in the history Of that State.
In this border State, traditionally bal
anced between the major parties in
presidential elections, Democrats out
voted Republicans three to one in
the primaries this month.
The strength of the Sinclair can
didacy in the California primary is
considered surprising to Democratic
leaders in Washington, especially in
view of his being a newcomer to the
Democratic party. He explains his
present af1iliation with the Democratic
party by declaring that he found peo-
pie running away from the Socialist
standard at time when there was
immediate necessity for action. For
years, up to 1892, the Democratic party
in California had been impotent ex-
cept in landslide years.
Sinclair's Program
Sinclair's program is to lend poverty
in California" His opponents call 1t
an Utopian gesture. His program is
an adaptation Of land colony idea
he attempted at Helicon Hall, N. j.,
and which he has sponsored elsewhere.
He proposes to establish economic is
lands" where the unemployed would
be self-sustaining, and would acquire
bankrupt factories for the production
of basic necessities.
Under this scheme for California, O
public agency would issue scrip to the
workers, and bonds to cover the pur-
chase Of land, factories, and ma
chinery and the erection of buildings.
He would repeal the controversial sales
tax and levy heavily on incomes, in
heritances, public utilities corpora
tions, and idle, unimproved land. He
would pay pensions to the aged, the
blind, the disabled and to widows and
dependent children.
It Is, Sinclair says, a program to
Save democracy without a violent
revolution" The elimination Of the
profit system would follow ultimately.
It Is not an immediate objective. In
his view, private enterprise, as soon
as 1t fails, will become q public in
stitution. And when questioned as
to how the program will be financed,
he counters with the query how his
opponents propose to go on indef1-
nitely feeding 1,250,00o persons on
charity.
The California contest involves
nominations for 20 House seats, held
now by II Democrats and Re-
publicans.
Battle in Mississippi.
A spectacular battle revolving about
the senatorship to succeed Senator
Stephens, Democrat, is being fought
out In Mississippi. The candidates
for the Democratic nomination for
Senator include Senator Stephens,
Representative Ross Collins and for
mer Gov. Theodore G. Bilbo. The
fight is q hard one. Senator Ste
phens has been maneuvering for White
House support and was here recently
for that purpose. Although q letter
went out from one of the White
House secretariat which was hailed
by Senator Stephens management as
meaning presidential Endorsement,
the President has refused to be drawn
into the contest. Former Gov. Bilbo,
colorful campaigner, has promised to
outdo Senator Huey Long If elected.
Bilbo Is expected to command large
vote and what is anticipated here is
run-of between him and one of the
other candidates. Senator Stephens is
not looked on as one of the ardent
new dealers. though he has supported
most administration measures.
No senatorship is involved in South
Carolina, but the governorship fight
Is the center of interest. Former Sena-
tor Blease Is seeking to stage a come
back.