Evening star., 1934-11-05
ThePOliticalMill
By G. Gould Lincoln.

Despite the fact that the congress
sional elections are the big event of
tomorrow's elections. there is tremen-
dous interest in some of the guber-
material contests. None stands out
more prominently, for example. than
the race between Upton Sinclair, for
mer Socialist and now the Democratic
candidate for Governor Of California.
There are other gubernatorial contests,
| however, which will be watched with
the keeneSt interest. In Maryland
where Gov. Albert C. Ritchie is
battling for a fifth term: in MasSa-
chusetts, where former Mayor James
NJ. Curley of Boston is making a de-
termined effort to become chief execu-
tive; in Minnesota, where Gov. Floyd
Olson, FarmerLabor, is fighting des-
perately to hold his present place, the
congressional elections have been
forced into the background.
4 4 X
Not infrequently the results OF
gubernatorial contests have had their
bearing on national candidates. and
national issues. Particularly has this
been true in New York. The last two
Democratic presidential nominees
have been Governors of the Empire
State. This year. however, the New
York gubernatorial contest is creating
| comparatively little interest. In the
first place, the Democrats seem to be
| far out ahead in that race. In the
! second, 1t is not likely that Gov. Leh-
man, the present Democratic Gov
| ernor. seeking reelection, will become
candidate for President. Robert
Moses, the Republican, virile, pro-
gressive and independent, If he could
| win the election might run up his
tightening rod in the hope that some
thing might hit him in 1886. But the
! chances of victory for Moses are sc
slim as to be almost negligible.
- *
The Sinclair Merriam contest in
California has passed through many
phases. 1t did not appear possible
that Sinclair could win the nomina-
ton when he started But his
E. P. /. c. plan proved good bait
for the discontented. He won a
startling victory in the primary
| against the administration candi-
date. George Creel. Then came his
apparent Endorsement by the Demo-
cratic powers, and finally the
national Democratic organization
snatched the rug right from under
his feet. Sinclair himself, apparently
has no real hope of being elected
| at the polls tomorrow. He is de-
| claring that whether he wins or
loses, he will have won a victory and
that his plans for social reform and
! relief will be in part. at least, adopted
In this Mr.. Sinclair seems to be a
! bit optimistic Certainly the desper-
ate fight which the Republicans and
! conservative Democrats in California
have been waging against his candi-
dacy would indicate just the opposite
| The defeat of Sinclair cannot. by the
| widest stretch of the imagination, bt
/ construed as anything but a defeat
for radlcaliSm. And so it will be
| interpreted.
Olson'S fight for reelection in Min
nesota is almost as interesting. from
| the point of view Of radicalism versus
| conservatism, as the contest for Gov
ernor in California, The radicalisn
of the Farmer-Labor party in Mime
sofa, however, is an old story as COM
| pared to the seizure OF the Democratic
gubernatorial nomination in Californis
by the socialistic Mr.. Sinclair. The
| Minnesota race, therefore. has not
been given the prominence in pre-
election discussions that has come tc
California and Sinclair. Gov. Olson
stands on platform not whit less
| radical than that of Mr. Sinclair
Indeed. in some respects. it seems tC
| go further than the E. P. I. G. plan
and certainly much further than the
Democratic platform in California
Mr.. Olson has talked little Of this
| platform. which aroused much criti-
cism among the people of Minnesota
| It was dictated by the more radical
wing of the Farmer-Labor party Nc
/ one really expects Mr.. Olson to go tC
the mat for all its wild proposals il
| he continued as Governor. However
| the Republicans and Democrats have
made the most of the Farmer Labor
platform in their fight to break the
hold Of the third party on Minnesota
/ politics.
The Massachusetts, gubernatoria
] fight brings into opposition the color
! full Jim Curley and Gaspar G
| Bacon. a scion of one of the ole
Yankee families Of the Bay State
! Tnv1att'e
! attacked by the Republicans. 1t wa.
attacked by Gov. Ely, Democrat. IL
the primary campaign, in which tht
! Ely forces sought to defeat Curley
and nominate Gen. Charles H. Cole
i Mr.. Curley, however, has persisted il
his refusal TO talk about his recGrC
| and local issues, and has wrapped
/ himself close in the folds of tn,
Roosevelt cloak. despite the fact tha
the Office which he seeks has nothing
to do with the National Government
1t looks as though Mr. Curley woulc
win, and some say he will win py &
| large majority.
Curley's success may have the ef.
| 1cCG VI Iculdhllik IIle OeIllOCTdIlc Or
ganization in Massachusetts. In the
past Mr.. Curley's dominance has beer
almost entirely in Boston. and he
has had plenty of enemies even ir
that city, among the Democrats. II
he takes the Governors chair, what i
there to keep him from moving into
the Senate "a couple of years hence
when Senator Coolidge comes UP for
reelection. OF course, there is the
| chance that by 1886 the Roosevelt
New Deal may not be so popular in
Massachusetts, as it is today. In that
event a Republican would have the
better chance for the Senate In the
Bay State. Curley was one Of the
original boosters of the candidacy OF
President Roosevelt for the presiden.
tial nomination in 1882. Gov. Ely ma.
never been supporter OF Roosevelt or
his policies. There will be very
| different Democratic attitude in the
State House in Massachusetts after
Mr.. Curley walks in, as he is expected
| to do.
Former Gov. Philip La Toilette ir
Wisconsin is making a bid for thu
l