Evening star., 1934-08-27
The Political Mill
By G. Could Lincoln.

The political mill is grinding in
California, and perhaps with a far
reaching purpose and effect. In the
hectic closing Of the preprimary cam
paign the name of Upton Sinclair,
Socialist, who is seeking the Demo-
cratic nomination for Governor, is
heard on many lips If he wins the
lieve he will, the chances Of success
on the part of the Republicans in the
gubernatorial contest may be en-
hanced. And the Republicans are
backing Gov Frank Merriam. Gov
Merriam, who became chief executive
of the State on the death of Gov
James Rolph, jr., has leaped into prom
inence nationally because of his firm
stand during the longshoremens strike
and the general strike in California
called in sympathy with the longshore-
men. If he is elected this year as
! Governor of California and carries
most of the Republicans along with
him to victory, he will loom large per-
haps in the next two years-a new
figure, from the national viewpoint, in
the Republican party, which at pres
ent is looking for new figures.
| X X
| The victory of Sinclair in the cam
paign for the Democratic nomination
for Governor would give many of the
Democrats in the State and out of it
a sorry mouthful. They look on him
as Socialist, and his program, which
proposes to do away with the profit
system, is distinctly antagonistic to
the recent declaration by Secretary
Roper of the Department of Commerce
that the Roosevelt administration has
no thought or purpose of seeking to
remove the profit motive" from Amer
lean life. Sinclair, the Democratic
leaders say, would be a difficult can
didate to elect next November.
X X X x
There are eight candidates in the
field for the Democratic gubernatorial
nomination. Outside of Sinclair, the
principal contenders are George Creel
and JustuS S. Wardell. Creel, who
had charge of wartime publicity for
President Woodrow Wilson, was in
charge of the campaign of Senator
McAdoo for election to the Senate in
1882, when McAdoo defeated Wardell
for the Democratic nomination. Creel
has the support of McAdoo now, and
| of most of the Roosevelt Democratic
leaders in the State. Wardell is a
highly regarded, regular Democrat of
San Francisco. While Sinclair has
been making most of the noise in the
primary campaign, he may yet be
defeated. The Rev. Bob" Shuler, it
will be remembered, cut big swath
in the senatorial contest in California
two years ago-until election day.
Gov. Merriam will have the backing
Of the Republicans and he may have
the support of some of the Democrats
against Sinclair.
He came originally from Iowa, where
he made good record as State audi
tor. He has been Speaker Of the
House in the California Legislature
and Lieutenant Governor. His han
ding of the strike situation won him
many friends all over California and
outside of it.
X + +
The denomination and reelection
OF Senator Hiram Johnson seems as
sure as death and taxes. Despite all
the talk of a year ago that the regu-
lar Republicans were out to get"
the veteran progressive because of his
support of President Roosevelt and
his opposition to former President
Herbert Hoover, California's first
President, in 1882, it looks as though
johnson had clearer sailing than ever
before. After the primary is over,
what Johnson will do for other can
didates on the ticket, or will not do,
remains to be seen. OF course, it Is
well understood that many of the
Democratic members of the House
who are seeking to stage a comeback
In California would very much like to
nave the johnson support on election
day in November. When they came
forward during the last session of
Congress and publicly indorsed john
| son for reelection, it looked very much
as though they were angling for pro-
gressive Republican support in their
own political races this year. john
son has at times in the past padded
his own canoe and not mixed up with
the campaigns of others on the Re-
publican ticket, after the nominations
nave been made. He undoubtedly has
mad and has great political power.
He has always been held responsible
for the election of the late President
woodrow Wilson over Chief Justice
Hughes in the memorable campaign
OF 1916. How he will get along with
Gov. Merriam, running on the same
ticket, is a question.
r 4 x
The American Liberty League, spon-
Sored by AL Smith, John w. Davis.
James w. Wadsworth, Irene du Pont
ana Nathan Miller and launched by
Jouett Shouse, its president, had
scarcely raised its head above the
norlzon when the Roosevelt admin
lstration, the Democratic National
Committee and the new dealers gen.
erally leaped upon it like a ton of
orlck. They saw in it only a move
ment to defend property" and so
labeled 1t. They saw in it a slap at
the new deal and an effort to align
| all the conservatives In favor of a re
turn to the old deal, and said so
President Roosevelt Immediately de-
clared that the league had apparently
forgotten about human rights" and
practically said that it was making
god out of property. Human rights
Is to be the theme song of the cam
palgn conducted by the new dealers.
1t appears, in the coming congress
slonal campaign. Property rights
nave usually been considered very
human rights in the past. The charge
by the President, however, that the
league had neglected human rights"
IN its declaration of principles was a
clever move-if the league is to be
directed against the new deal pro-
gram.
so far, beynod the announcement
OF Its birth, nothing has come from
the new league and its leaders. Not
all the brains are on one side, if there
| comes a showdown between the
league and the new deal IF man ~