The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-09-23
Washington
Merry-Go-
Round
BY DREW PEARSON and
ROBERT ). ALLEN.

Dill 1SbORGh, Sept. 23.-Wheth-
Il er the vast industrial empire
which Is the State Of Pennsylvania
goes for or against the New Deal in
1886 depends chiefly on a handful
OF machine Democratic bosses and
what they do in the next few
months.
If the election were held today.
the miracle probably would take
place, and this stronghold of Re
publican conservatism would go
Democratic. That is the definite
trend today. Roosevelt has gained
since 1882, and the Democratic ma
chine has been hoiSted with him.
Even Joe Guffey. Democratic boss
OF the state. who for years playeoN
ball with the Melons, the Dave
Reeds, and other pillars of Re-
publicanism, has travelled to posi-
ton of some popularity and consid-
cradle respect as a result OF his
first-term performance in the SEN
ate.
But all this is built on precarious
soil. Pennsylvania has learned what
she could not seem to learn for half
a century-the art of scratching
ballots. And many things may upset
the New Deals newly found popu-
larity.
ONE of these recently cropped
" out in the Parole Board scan
oal. 1t may prove to be just the
ammunition the Republicans neeo-
The Pennsylvania Committee on
Penal Affairs disclosed the Sabotag-
ing of the parole system by group
of Democratic machine bosses,
which matches the sleight-of hand
of the old Republican machine IN
all its glory.
The parole staff, which had won
the reputation of being one OF the
most efficient and non-political IN
the state, suddenly has become the
personal dumping ground OF AtVy'
Gen. Charles j. Margiotti.
Into it he has dumped-in the
Pittsburgh Office alone-"one former
dance hall bouncer, a radio COM
mentator and law student, a house
printer, a fruit and produce sales
man, a stationary engineer, a ma
chinist and a steel worker.
Others are listed by the Commit
tee on Penal Affairs as IAN appointee
90 years old, who falls asleep on
the job; one who has only an eighth
grade education and is untitled Tor
the work; tailor; grocer; unem-
ployed and too i'll to work; In bust
ness with father; no substantial po-
sition; investigator; deputy mar
shall; contractor"
Many of these we're Democratic
division leaders and committeeman.
| =
XXTHAT has reacted as a BOOM
w erang against the Democrats
mas been the fact that simultane-
ously with these appointments, the
parole and prison system is plan
ming to spend $17000000 on main
tenance and improvements rec
ord for the state.
Politics and contracts are old
bedfellows in Pennsylvania, as sew
eral critical newspapers have
warned Gov. Earle with great de-
light.
Up until the parole scandal, Earle
had kept the old-line politicos pref
ty we'll at bay, had given a surpris-
ingly good account of his first year
in Office. But now the political
barrage is coming his way.
On how tightly he holds the reins
/ over his state bosses for the next
II months is going to depend
whether Pennsylvania fulf1lls Jim
Farley's proud boast that it will go
overwhelmingly New Deal in 1886.
MEANWHILE western Pennsyl-
1F1 vania is developing a smooth
running Democratic machine whlla%
the old Republican machine is full of
squeaks and rattles. Some of the
cogs of the Democratic machine
formerly were vigorous ward work
ers for the Republicans, transfer
ring their allegiance to the DEM
ocrats when they saw a new band
wagon driving by.
In 1881 and in three electior>
thereafter the people of Pittsburgh
rebelled against the old Republican
bosses and when the latter tried to
hang on to control, the county
eventually became heavily Dem
ocratic.
Now. for it's fifth successive cleo
ton, the old Republican crowd
again has captured several impor-
tant nominations for county offices
and faces its fifth defeat. Chief Of
them is Senator Jimmy Coyne, who
Sneaked through to a nomination
for county commissioner when he
got out a strong machine vote in
a primary characterized generally
by light balloting.
Copyright. 1885. by United Featurs
Syndicate, Inc.)