Evening star., 1934-11-08
ThePoliticaI Mill
By G. Could Lincoln.

The defeat Of Gov. Albert C. Richie
OF Maryland by Harry w. Nice, his
Republican opponent, changes In the
twinklipg OF an eye the Democratic
set-up in that State. For ffteen years
Gov. Ritchie has been the dominating
hsure in his party's organization.
Beaten now In his effort TO win .
NTH term, In . year when Democrats
have uiumphed In many Old Repub-
licsn stronghoids, 1t appears entirely
unlikely that Richie will be able TO
retain his power or TO continue TO
direct the organization. There have
been many Maryland gentlemen In the
Democratic party anxious TO take over
the leadership. To whom the Richie
mantle will fall remains to be seen.
! There Is the senior Senator, Senator
MilIsrd E. Tydings, who has been re-
garded as q candidate for the Demo-
cratic leadership. There is the mayor
OF Baltimore, Howard Jackson. who
sspired 70 be Governor In place OF
Mr. Richie, and who would not be
sverse TO assuming party leadership.
When Richie ouIms sneuvered both
Jackson and Tydings in the political
skirmishing last Summer and Tyding's 3
candidate, Senstor-elect George L..
Radcliffe, and Mayor Jackson both
stepped aside to give Ritchie q chance
for q NTH term. 1t looked as though
the old master and mis- friends had
been too strong In tact, the political
leadership aspira Jions OF Senator
Tydings had received O severe check
at least for the time being. Ritchie's
defeat has changed the whole situation
1t seems to leave Tydings in a DOM
insnL position He Is United States
Senator. He is young and aggressive
The mayor of Baltimore will be up
for reelection again next year. Balti-
more is the big Democrs TIC stronghold
of the State Its failure 10 give Gov
Richie greater support In the election
Yesterday was in large measure re-
SpCIlSIUlc IW HIS OclSbt.
The victory of the Republican can
dpste for Governor, Mr. Nice, was que
TO the fact that q great mass OF the
people had decided that q fifth term
for Gov Ritchie was just one 100 many
II may have been due also. in part 10
the general opinion that Gov. Ritchie
was conservative and anti-New Deal
Certainly this was the impression
which the Republicans sought 10 give
In their platform they told the voters
OF Maryland that the G. o. p. would
go forward with the New Deal in Mary
land TO q greater degree than they
might expect from Gov. Richie. The
objection to a fifth term for the
Governor was shown clearly IN the
guberna torisl primary, when DR.
Z Charles Conley, 8 comparatively little
known Democrat from Western Mary
land, polled more than 10000 votes
This was an anti Ritchie vote almost
entirely. These anti-Ritchie votes
were cast against the Governor on
Tuesday in large part. The fact that
Radcliffe. the Democratic Senator
elect, only received about 4 900 more
votes than Ritchie while Radcliffe de-
, feated his Republican opponent. former
Senator France. by more than so 900
votes seems proof that the voters were
cunning for Ritchie rather than that
they were anxious for Republican con-
troll or leadership. The Democrats
elected the rest OF their State ticket
and the Legisls ture.
Gov. Ritchies place IN the political
sun had been on the decline for q
year or more He had been considered
a presidential possibility in the days
when prohibition and States rights
were big issues But prohibitions repeal
removed that as q burning issue,
and the New Deal has become more
popular than States rights. Whether
States rights will ever become an
| issue again is q question. The CEN
traliSstion OF power in Washington
might eventually revive that issue
but the tendency. apparently with the
favor Of the people generally. has been
10 put more and more power in the
hands Of the Federal Government 1t
was in vain that the Ritchie cam
paigners told the people OF Mary
land that he had given them q good
! and efficient government, that finances
! had been conserved. that taxes had
been reduced and that the credit OF
| the State was good, even In these DAYS
Ritchie in his long term of once had
| made enemies. Probably there were
Democrats who were perfectly willing
TO let the Republicans have a Gov
ernor for four-year period in order
to get rid of Ritchie and in the belief
they would have no trouble regaininp
control at the Governors mansion
In 1888.
The Congress just elected Is the
first to begin it's term OF ONCE on
January 3. under the so-calied lame
duck amendment of the Constitution
And by the same token, the old Con-
gress Is the first Congress to have its
tenure shortened by q couple of
months. through the operation OF thi,
amendment. The members of the Sen.
ate and House who were defeated at
the polls on Tuesday will not sit again
In the halls Of Congress before tbev
retire from ONCE otncially unless presi.
cent Roosevelt should call q special
session prior to January ;. No such
call is expected.
Inc adoption Of the Lame duck
amenoment to the Constitution was
designed to do away with the abort
sessions OF Congress. running from De-
cember until the following March. in
which the defeated members of Con.
sress continued to sit as legislators