Evening star., 1934-07-02
The Political Mill
By G. Could Lincoln.

By g. Could Lincoln
When President Roosevelt returns
TO the United States In August the
campaign for the election Of the new
Congress will just be getting really
under way. Indeed, most OF the cleo
tioneering will come in September and
October and the balloting on Novem-
Der 6. The groundwork must be laid,
however, for the campaigns some time
in advance and, Of course, the nomina-
tions by the various political parties
must be made. This coming election
is of great importance to President
Roosevelt and the new deal. Despite
the oft-repeated declaration that the
Republican party Is dead, II 1t still
remains unburied, the Democratic
leaders realize that over 10000 900
votes were cast for the Republican
national ticket in 1892 and that the
shift of a few hundreds Of thousands
Of votes IN some of the pivotal States
in the coming congressional elections
back to the Republican candidates
would create considerable havoc in
the Democratic ranks in the Senate
and House. Furthermore, many Re
publican victories would act as seri-
Gus check upon the new-deal program
"a program which the President pro-
poses considerably to extend and ex-
pand at the next session Of Congress.
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Defeats Of Democratic new dealers
at the polls by Republican opponents
would have also the effect Of stinen-
ing the opposition Of q considerable
number OF Democrats In Congress who
have looked askance upon the new
deal policies. During the closing
weeks Of the last session of Congress,
1t was from the Democratic side OF the
Senate chamber that severest attacks
were made upon the Roosevelt new
deal For example, when the nomi-
nation Of Undersecretary Of Agricul-
ture Rexford G. Tugwen came up for
consideration in that body, it was the
Senator from Virginia, Harry Flood
Byrd; the Senator from North Caro-
lima, Josiah w. Bailey, and the Sena-
tor from South Carolina. Ellison D.
Smith. who demanded the rejection
Of the Tugwell nomination, and Tug
well was considered the symbol Of the
new deal.
Senator Byrd has not hesitated to
denounce the expansion of the new
deal in 30 far as that means the ex-
pansion Of Government control over
business and the activities Of the
American people. He says very frank
" that he supported the Presidents
emergency measures when they were
pressed at the early part of the admin
| istration, because of the crisis that
then existed. What annoys and dis
turbs Senator Byrd is the fact that it
is now planned TO make these emer-
gency measures permanent. He is
particularly opposed to the manner
in which the agricultural adjustment
act is operating and to further extern
sion Of the power Of the Secretary of
Agriculture over the activities of the
American farmer.
The coming campaign-unless there
| is distinct change In the attitude of
the President and the Democratic
high command upon the return of the
Chief Executive to the country-is to
be waged in behalf of the new deal.
| The challenge will be accepted, in
oeed, has already been accepted by
opponents of Government control
along the lines that it has been going
under the new deal. The canvass
conducted by the Literary Digest, in
which the voters are asked to say
whether they generally approve of the
President and his program. continues
to show q considerable majority in
favor of the Roosevelt administration
In view of the personal popularity of
the President, in view Of the desire Of
the American people generally to
have the administration succeed in
| its efforts to overcome the depression
and bring back prosperity, and N view
of the large number of persons put to
work by the Government or put on
relief rolls. it is perhaps astonishing
that the vote against the Roosevelt
program should be SO large.
| = y
July is an of month for political
activities. Only three States hold
their primary observation-disclosures
Montana and Texas. Montana and
Texas both have senatorial contests
this year. Montana has two Demo-
cratic Senators seeking denomination
and reelection, Wheeler and Erick-
son, and in Texas Senator Tom Con-
nally is running for denomination
against Representative Joseph W
Bailey, jr, son of the late Senator
Bailey. In this latter contest the edge
is said to rest with Senator Connally
His denomination Is tantamount to
reelection. Up in Montana the SEN
atorial contests are likely to be brisk
this Fall. according to reports.
August and September are the two
months IN which the greater number
of States hold their primaries and
State conventions for the nomina-
ton of party candidates. Probably
none of these contests for nomina-
tions will arouse more interest than
those in which Senator Copeland of
New York, Senator Cutting of New
Mexico and Gov. Ritchie Of Maryland
are involved. Copeland, a Democrat
with big personal following, has not
been regarded with particular favor by
the Roosevelt high command. Cutting,
a Republican progressive and a sup
porter Of the new deal and Roosevelt,
is regarded with favor by the admin
istration leaders. Ritchie, who is
trying for his fifth term as Governor
of Maryland, is not a new dealer, al
though he has occupied and con-
tinues to occupy a prominent place
in the democracy. If Ritchie wins
again, especially If he Is opposed by
a new deal Democrat in the primary.
he will stand out still more promi-
nently.
Senator Barkley of Kentucky. who
delivered the keynote speech for the
Democrats at the Chicago conven-
ton in 1882. Is to go on the air to-
morrow night in the interest of the
Democratic congressional campaign.
Indeed, the voters will have an op-
portunity to hear several political
speeches over the air this week, be-
ginning with Chairman Henry P.
Fletcher of the Republican National
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