Evening star., 1934-08-23
The Political Mill
By C.. Could Lincoln.

pe able 70 tease joint oepate on the
new deal out of some Of the members
of the newly formed American Liberty
League. The Illinois senator so far
has been unsuccessful in his attempts
to draw the Republican senatorial
candidates and the chairman Of the
Republican Senatorial Campaign Com
mittee into series Of debates from
the same platform. 1t would be par
ticularly interesting If debates could
be staged, for example, with for
mer Gov. Alfred Z. Smith of New
York or John w. Davis of West
Virginia and New York supporting the
contentious Of the American Liberty
League against any of the Democratic
new dealers whom Senator Lewis
cared to send up against them. The
American Liberty League may become
an important factor politically. There
can be no slightest doubt that the
organizers Of the league would have
taken no step toward its organization
had they not believed that the new
deal was threatening the constitu-
tional rights of the people and was
becoming more and more radical.
X r X
The set-up of the American Liberty
League is non-partisan as between Re-
publicans and Democras, since it has
as its sponsors both Republicans and
Democrats. Those sponsors, however
have been among the severest critics
of new-deal policies. It is clear, then,
that the league is to be quite partisan
against the new dealers. It is to be
headed by Jouett Shouse, who has
shown himself great organizer in
the past. Mr.. Shouse has said that
the league Is not directed against
President Roosevelt; Is not against the
President, in fact. But 1t will be very
difficult to differentiate between the
President and his legislative program;
between the President, and, for ex.
ample, his Undersecretary Of Agricul-
ture, Rexford G.. Tugwell, as time
goes on.
And If the league Is not against the
President, it may develop before long
that the President is against the
league, if 1t seeks to prevent the
passage Of some of his pet bills In the
next Congress. From the discussion
OF the league by its president, Mr.
Shouse, 1t may be inferred that the
purpose of the league really is to helr
the President and to prevent the pas
sage of radical legislation which some
OF the progressives, so-called, may
seek to force through the Congress
A Republican opponent Of the new
deal, Senator David A. Reed of Penn.
Sylvania, Is to open his campaign fol
reelection at meeting to be held al
Williams Grove, near Carlisle, August
30. Senator Reed has been q sick mar
since the end Of his primary campaign
last May, but 1t Is said that he i,
fully recovered and ready TO start ar
intensive drive against his Democratic
opponent and supporter of the new
deal, Joseph r. Guffey. MIR. Guffey
aligned himself with the candidacy
Of President Roosevelt for the Demo.
cratic nomination early in the pre-.
convention fight. He Is being put for.
ward now by his supporters as pro.
gressive. That, however, is a matter
which the voters Of Pennsylvania
probably will pass upon.
n y
Senator Reed has spent most Of the
Summer at Mount Huron, Mich, re-
cuperating. He went there from Penn
syivania after he had attended the
Republican State Committee meeting
in June. His victory in the primary
over Gov. Clifford Pinchot was hailed
by the anti-new dealers. During his
primary campaign Reed lit into the
Roosevelt program. Gov. Pinchot is
still, apparently, pondering what his
next political move shall be. He has
until nearly the middle of September
to make up his mind. If he goes into
the race as an independent candidate
against both Reed and Guffey, 1t will
make a crazy quilt, probably, Of the
Pennsylvania campaign this Fall.
y Il n X
Representative Vincent Carter has
apparently won the Republican nomi-
nation for the Senate. The reports
show him running well ahead Of his
competitors in the primary election
there. The Republicans regard Car
ter as a strong candidate to oppose
Senator Joseph OMahoney, the DEM
ocratic nominee. Senator O'Mahoney
is a strong administration man, q
close friend Of the President and Of
Postmaster General James A. Farley
He is active and during his service in
the Senate, to which he was appointed
following the death Of the late Sen
ator Kendrick, he has shown himself
able. While the Republicans profess
to be encouraged over the wyoming
prospects, they have a real job on
their hands to defeat O'Mahoney.
Il X n 4
Down in New Mexico, another FaI
Western State, the Republicans are
expected to fix the date Of their
State convention at a meeting to-
morrow. The Democrats are expected
to meet September IA In convention
The convention system for the NOM
ination Of candidates Is still In vogue
there. Senator Bronson Cutting
Republican progressive and supporter
of President Roosevelt in the 1882
campaign, Is expected to have the
Republican nomination to succeed
himself at the hands of the State
convention, although he has strong
opposition from the old guard Re-
publicans. There is a growing con-
viction that Representative Chavez
Democrat, will seek and obtain the
Democratic nomination to run against
Cutting, despite any desire that the
Roosevelt administration might have
to favor Cutting as it has favored
Hiram johnson in California and Bob
La Toilette in Wisconsin. If Chavez
is nominated, there will be nothing
for the Democratic Senatorial Cam
paign Committee to do but to go ahead
and support him in the campaign
Senator Lewis, chairman of that COM
mittee, is on his way into the West
now and New Mexico is one of the
States which he particularly plans to
visit, In order to canvas the situation
there.