Evening star., 1934-12-02

- coming session OF congress
will have to lean heavily on a
L group Of conservative Demo-
Gratis at the Capitol, and par
ticularly in the Senate.
This fact is coming to stand out
with increasing distinctness as the
date for opening the session comes
closer and as the President enters into
conferences on the legislative program
with various advisers and lays the
foundation for his annual message To
the two houses.
In all of the talk and speculation
as to whether the President is going
to steer the administration to the
right or left, it is generally overlooked
that he is consulting for the most
part with Democrats in Congress who
are inclined to be conservative That
has been true as to his conferences at
Warm Springs and there is every rea-
son to believe it will remain true after
his return to Washington In the
course of the Winter the President, of
course, will talk with Democrats of
varying shades of opinion, but there
seems no doubt that he will depend
for his program mainly on leaders in
his own party of conservative type.
Support to Be Sought.
In so far as the President dictates
legislative program. series of legis-
lative measures, to Congress, he will
evidently seek first of all the support
of these Democratic leaders. Once he
has assurance of their support he will
know that he is certain of a large
share of the Democratic machinery,
since it is obvious that much Of the
rank and file of the Democrats in the
two houses, and especially the newly
elected Democrats, will take orders
from the executive end of the Govern
ment and will vote for whatever the
President urges. One or two excep-
tions may be found to this general
rule. as in the case of the bonus. For
the most part, however, it is clear that
most of the Democratic membership
of the two houses will take the same
course as was so marked in the recent
regular session and in the extra ses-
sion, and will line up for whatever
bills are urged by the White House.
It is not without significant bearing
on the legislative policies which the
President has in mind that he has
been talking of late with Senator
Joseph T. Robinson of Arkansas,
Democratic leader of the Senate, at
Warm Springs; likewise with Senator
Pat Harrison of Mississippi, chairman
of the Finance Committee, in some
respects the most powerful committee
in the Senate.
Aid of Three Leaders Needed.
1t is equally interesting that Vice
President John N. Garner is soon to
quit the hunting and fishing delights
of the Uvalde region of Texas and
come back to Washington for intimate
talks with President Roosevelt on the
legislation for the coming session.
These are three outstanding Demo-
Gratis whose support this Winter the
President will seek and will need.
Others among the Senate Democrats
on whom the President will depend in
clude Senator James F. Byrnes of
South Carolina, prominent on the APP
preparations Committee, and men
toned for the Democratic leadership
if it should turn out that Senator
Robinson later obtains an appoint
ment to the Supreme Court. Senator
Duncan U. Fletcher of Florida, vet
eran chairman of the Banking and
Currency Committee. is another men,
ber of the Democratic side who will be
freely consulted. He was in confer
ence with the President on banking
legislation only short time before
Mr. Roosevelt departed for the South.
Then. 1here is Senator Carter Glass