Evening star., 1934-10-29

As the congressional campaign en-
ters the home stretch, the outcome
looms as considerably more unpredict-
| able than is apparent on the surface
of the public claims and expectations
of either party. The Roosevelt ad-
ministration still counts on a smash
ing victory, with at least two-thirdS
of the Senate brought safely within
its grip and a House majority not
| far from the present stranglehold.
The Republicans do not concede a
/ Democratic landslide of such dimen-
sions and warn the chesty foe to be
prepared for surprises. In confiden-
tial moments authorities in each camp
admit that there are so many cross
currents and local factors at work
throughout the country that cock
sure prophecies are precarious. The
| unexpected can happen here, there
or anywhere. Among the things max
ing for uncertainty are that old-timer,
the so-called independent vote; the
rising tide Of anti-New Deal sentiment
reflected by the Literary Digest poll,
and the extent to which business is
rebellious against Roosevelt spending
policies.
Seldom before has national interest
been so much concentrated on a single
State as 1t Is on the gubernatorial
contest in California. Upon Sinclair s
sensational bid for power overshadows
the Nationwide fight for control of
| Congress, vital as this is to the fate
of the New Deal. If Sinclair wins, 1t
is now clear that he'll have to do 30
without the blessing of the national
leadership Of the party whose label
he wears. THE League Of Loyal Dem
ocrats," Los Angeles organisation of
which William Jennings Bryan, Jr.. Is
chairman, has just flooded the coun-
try with q statement that beyond a
doubt there Is a titanic effort to make
California the first Socialist wedge to
split this Union wide open and to
stamp the Democratic party with the
brand of Socialism" If eminent Dem
ocrats in Washington felt at liberty
to say right out in meeting what they
think of the Sinclair menace" some
of them undoubtedly would talk young
Mr.. Bryan's language.
| X X X +
Blocs of various hues will dominate
the legislative picture from the mo-
ment the new House and Senate pitch
their tents on Capitol Hill. The bonus
and labor blocS, with their respective
| i L. ~t, ay,I an hour xrank
will probably be the most persistent
and formidable. The public works
and relief blocs, with their clamor for
unlimited new billions, will be vocifer-
GUS. The imitation bloc will be heard
from early, late and all the time, and
Huey Longs personally conducted
ibute-the-wealth" bloc will be
on the job. To stem the tide Of bloc
pressure will put President RooSevelt'S
political leadership to the severest test
it has ever faced. Much of the push
will be so radical left in tinge that his
resistance to extremist demands will
automatically convert F. D. r. into
Gibraltar Of the conservative right.
Attached to the staff of Ambassa-
dor Davis and Admiral Standley dur
ing the London naval conversations
is the State Departments Japanese
language wizard, Eugene H. Dooman.
Born at Osaka. Japan, in 1890 of
American parents, Mr.. Dooman has
spent virtually all of his II years in
the foreign service at Far Eastern
posts. Japanese say he speaks their
tongue with more scholarly fiuency
than almost any other foreigner in
the world. With it he couples deep
insight into Japanese character and
affairs. Mrs. Dooman has been in