Evening star., 1934-07-15
Tearing Off the Mask.

caring Ou LHt N1dhh.
Postmaster General Farley. travel
ina In his capacity AZ chairman Of
the Democratic National Committee
is calling upon the country 10 elect
a Democratic Congress in Novem-
Der He is Of on trip that will
take him to more than thirty cities
OF the West. where he Will call on
the voters and the party workers
10 get behind President Roosevelt
by electing Democrats 10 the House
and Senate Mr. Farley started his
campaign IN indianapolis Friday He
urged that the voters keep their Gov
eminent, State and national Demo-
cratic
A great deal has been written and
said in the last few weeks about the
non-partiSsn campaign which the
Roosevelt Democrats we're planning
to wage this year. Republicans, pro-
vided they gave their support to the
President, looked just as good to
them as Democrats, II was inferred
If not directly declared. Mr.. Farley,
however, is more practical. Give him
Democrats in control of the Gov
ernment, State and national. is his
plea. There was a former Democratic
Postmaster General, Mr.. Burleson.
who made a similar plea to the Amer
ican people on behalf Of the late
President Woodrow Wilson in 1913.
He, too. wanted a Democratic Con-
gress elected to uphold the hands OF
the President in carrying on the
World War, just as Mr.. Farley is
demanding a Democratic Congress to
support President Roosevelt and his
new deal program. The plea OF Mr..
Burleson and President Wilson failed; ;
IL riled a lot of Republicans who
thought they. too, had been doing
something about winning the war.
President Roosevelt and his follow
ers take the position, it appears from
their addresses, that the American
people themselves have had nothing
to do with such recovery as has been
effected, that it is all due, not to the
initiative of the people but to the
plans of the new dealers and the
Democratic politicians. Perhaps the
voters will back up the President and
his supporters in this belief and atti-
tude. II they do. it will give further
support to the idea that the people
cannot help themselves-cannot, in
effect, govern their own affairs and
activities, but must look to the Fed
eral Government, the politicians and
the new dealers for everything.
Mr.. Farley has at least torn the
mask of the pretense that this is to
be a non-partisan congressional CAM
paign. He wants Democrats elected
and he wants the Democratic or
ganization built up in every State,
county and town. There is nothing
wrong in that idea. 1t is perfectly
sound in a system of strong party
government. Doubtless il will give
a Jolt to those independent and
progressive souls, like George Norris
of Nebraska, who believe that party
labels are wrong and unessential.
The Democrats want the progressive
Republicans of the West to vote with
them in this campaign. What they
really want is to have the progress
sives absorbed into the Democratic
party
When Mr Farley gets farther West,
into Nebraska. California and other
States where the party is not SO we'll
intrenched as in Indiana, he may
modify his demands for the election
of Democrats. Indeed he has al
ready given his blessing to the cause
Of Senator Hiram Johnson, pro-
gresSive Republican, a candidate to
succeed himself. There may be
others. But 1t is clear that wherever
the Democratic party seems to be
strong enough to hold its own or
win. the call Will be for the election
Of Democrats. and progressive Re
publicans, no matter how ardently
attached to President Roosevelt, may
pine for political Jobs in vain. II
Will be interesting to see how the
President and his Postmaster General
handle the situation in Wisconsin
and New Mexico this year. where
party interests clash with the IN
terestS Of Senators La Toilette and
Cutting. both Republican supporters
Of Roosevelt in the past,