Evening star., 1934-03-29
The Political Mill.
BY c. Could LiRcolR.


ment Of the war veterans. plus the
demand for restoration Of the pay Of
Government workers. was too much
fox the administration forces In the
White House, the House and the
Senate. President Roosevelt u not
the hrst Chief Executive who has
gone down before the veterans vote.
The late President Coolidge vetoed
the Soldiers bonus bill hack In 1924,
. decade ago. The Conress promptly
passed It over the veto. It apparently
made little difference to the political
fortunes Of Mr.. Coolidge, however, for
he was nominated for President at
the Republican national convention In
Cleveland that very year with no op-
position except that Of the late
Senator Robert M. La Toilette of Wis
consin, and in November of that year
he was Reelected President handily
against John w. Davis, Democrat, and
Senator Ia Toilette, Progressive. The
Congress passed . veterans bill over
! the veto Of former President Hoover,
also placing many more men on the
pension rolls. The miracle was not
the vote Of yesterday In the Senate
and OF Tuesday In the House, but It
was the fact that President Roosevelt
was able to get the economy act
through Congress last year and 10 cut
| Thousands Of veterans Oh the pension
and compensation rolls ut that time.
AAA4
What will be the political effect of
| the revolt Of Congress against the
Presidents leadership on this matter
OF the veterans compensation and
the restoration Of pay Of the Govern
ment workers? There will be those
who say 1t spells the beginning of the
end Of the great power which Franklin
D. Roosevelt has exerted over Con-
gress. But this is doubtful. It must
be remembered that only . few days
| ago the President was acclaimed the
country over because he was able to
bring about an adjustment of the
differences between the automobile
workers and their employers, when 1t
seemed that . strike was inevitable.
Furthermore, the Democrats in Con.
/ gress. who broke away from the Presi-
dents leadership in the matter Of the
veto Of the independent ofices appro-
priation bill may fall all over them
selves getting back on the party res
ervstion as soon a. possible. II they
stay at odds with the President, where
will they be when it comes to the
campaign next Fall, campaign
which must be waged on the issue Of
the Roosevelt administration7 OF
course, II the White House is so un-
wise as to undertake to chastise all
the Democrats, 209 In the House and
20 in the Senate, who cast their votes
against the President on this veto
matter it will make for bad feeling
If the Democratic leadership is wise,
it will minimize the whole affair and
forget 1t as soon as possible.
| However, II the President persists,
as it has been said he will, in carry
ing the issue to the country. there
will be bad blood among the Demo-
Gratis and trouble ahead for the party.
Many Of the Democrats who voted to
override the veto will assert that they
really helped the President by pass
ing the Independent ofices bill over
the veto: that II the Presidents veto
had been allowed to stand 1t would
have been q black eye for the Demo-
cratic party as q whole, which in
cludes the President himself. That
was the argument advanced by the
Republicans In 1924 who helped to
put the bonus bill through over the
veto Of Mr.. Coolidge.
Il 4 4
There Is no question about the ad-
ministratio leaders in the Senate
being upset over the result of the
vote on the veto message yesterday
afternoon. A change Of four Demo.
cratic votes would have giyen them
victory. and some Of them were in
clined to speak with great bitterness
about their colleagues. But the
chances are that the feeling will all
blow over and the party lines be re-
formed in the Senate and in the
House. Before the vote was taken
administration Democrats were assur-
ing each other in the cloak room and
lobby that it would be . disgrace to
fling our President to the hungry
Republican dogs" Probably they
were unduly exercised. The Repuhu.
cans, 1t must be said, however, were
inclined to enjoy the rout of the ad-
ministration forces and the schism in
the ranks Of the Democrats. Every
Republican who voted cast his strength
in favor Of the passage of the bill
over the veto. Regulars and insur-
gents alike were found voting shoulder
to shoulder. Norris of Nebraska,
johnson Of California, La Toilette Of
Wisconsin and Cutting Of New Mexico,
the quartet Of Western Republicans
who supported Roosevelt openly in
1892, all turned on him yesterday.
siveS dislike the manner In which the
administration is letting down Senator
Robert M. La Toilette of Wisconsin,
who Is up for denomination and re.
election. Chairman James A. Farley
of the Democratic National Commit
tee, who came out in favor Of the re-
nomination and reelection Of Senator
Hiram johnson in California and
thereby set the seal of Democratic ap-
proval on that particular Republican
progressive, has turned 4 deaf ear 50
lette and Senator Bronson Cutting OF
New Mexico have suggested that it
would be - well to let the Democrats
In Wisconsin and New Mexico know
that the Roosevelt administration
would be well pleased to have these
gentlemen reelected.
|
| The Republican party seems, how
ever, to be coming to life again Is
the congressional elections approach.
While the Republicans still appear to
be . little leary OF making partisan
attacks on the President and his pro-
gram, they are getting bit Of courage
again. And their reports from the
country over are that more and more
soreheads are developing, and they
count every sorehead . Republican
vote. This Is true in New England. in
New York and in the Middle and Far
West.
| The check which the administra-
ton had over the veterAns' compen-
sation and Government WorkerS' nav