Evening star., 1935-10-14
THE POLITICAL
MILL
By G.. Could Lincoln.

Borah and Roosevelt as Republican
national ticket, suggested as possible
ity after the publication of Senator
Borahs letter to Col. Theodore Roose-
velt, jr., asserting that the big issue IN
the country today is monopoly" has its
interesting possibilities. That Col. Roose-
velt has responded rather lukewarmly
to the Borah letter does not entirely do
away with the idea. Such ticket would
have its appeal to many persons.
Whether it makes an appeal to Col.
Roosevelt is another matter.
! Il
In the light of the views Of Senator
Borah, sometimes expressed, on the
currency question, and his dabbling with
the Townsend old-age pension plan,
there is grave doubt that COL Roosevelt
would be willing to become a running
mate of the Idaho Senator, even If the
plan is seriously put forward. Senator
Borah has been at various times for
currency expansion-which is another
way OF saying currency imitation. While
he did not commit himself to the Town
send old-age pension plan, with its 5000
a-month payments to every man and
woman in the country go years Of age
and over, he did introduce DR.. Town.
send to an audience in Idaho not so
long ago and speak sympathetically Of
the pension plan. And whether Sem
ator Borah likes it or not, it appears
that the TownsenditeS have taken him
to their bosom and regard him as their
champion. This may be good politics
in Idaho. where the Senator comes up
for reelection to the Senate next year,
but it will not be so willingly accepted
In other parts of the country.
It is nothing new for Senator Borah
to rail at the leadership of the Repub-
lican party as 1t now stands, as he did in
his letter to Col Roosevelt, asserting that
it is tied in with the Interests" If he
should become the party's presidential
nominee, however it would be interesting
to see just how far the Republican Or
ganization was changed. How many of
the present leaders would Mr.. Borah 60
along with and how long? 1t is his firm
conviction that many of the men who
have been the backbone Of the party
organization in many Of the States, par
ticularly in the East. must fade out of
the picture if the Republican party is to
live. On the other hand, who are to
take the places of these old, recognized
leaders? 1t is tough nut to crack. Also
1t is easy to see that these organization
leaders, who probably will have a good
deal to say about the makeup of the
State delegations to the Republican ma
tional convention. would scarcely well
come the nomination of Mr.. Borah for
President. In fact. they will do their
utmost to defeat him.
y *
The Idaho Senator himself has no
particular illusions about his chances in
Republican national convention. He
realizes the difficulties that confront him.
When his attention has been called to
the opposition on the part of people in
the East to his demands for currency
imitation, he has made it clear that he
understands this may defeat him for the
nomination, even if he becomes a can
didate. Senator Borah must decide at
some time before very long whether he
Is to be candidate to succeed himself
for the Senate or whether he is to make
a bid for the presidential nomination.
He might, it is true, do both. The nomi-
mating primaries in Idaho take place on
August II, 1886. Mr.. Borah would, of
course, have to announce his determina-
ton to be a candidate for the Senate
some time before that date. Vice Presi-
dent Garner, however. it will be recalled,
got himself nominated for his old seat
in the House Of Representatives at the
time he was seeking the Democratic
presidential nomination in 1882. So it
is possible for Mr. Borah to make the
bid for the presidential nomination and
at the same time to hold on to the
ifyy g -l,,,
the danger, of course, that he might
weaken his chances in Idaho if he made
flop of the fight for a presidential
nomination.
The Idaho law says that a candidate
for office must declare himself not less
than 80 days before the primary He
may file as much as so days prior to
the primary.
Gov. Hoffman of New Jersey, whose
friends have been anxious to toss his
hat in the ring when opportunity arises
for the Republican presidential nomina-
ton, is sticking to his proposal that the
Republican party sponsor in its coming
national platform an amendment to the
Constitution which would have the Su-
preme Court of the United States pass
acted by Congress before those laws be-
come effective. The youthful Governor
of New Jersey has had an avalanche of
criticism because of his proposal. In his
enthusiasm he seems to have spoken
out of turn. The country is not likely
to back up the amendment he proposes,
for the simple reason that it would
throw the present arrangement out of
balance. He insists that if the amend
ment were adopted it would not make
the Supreme Court part of the lesis-
lative machinery of Government. It is
true that the language of the amend
ment would not SO state. But the con-
clusion that the court would become so
involved is unacceptable. 1t looks as
though Gov. Hoffman had spoken out
of turn.
The American Federation of Labor
now meeting in Atlantic City, is to be
called upon to decide whether it shall
back constitutional amendment which
would permit Congress to pass laws
limiting hours of labor, provide for
minimum wages, etc. In effect. the pro-
posal is to amend the Constitution so as
to make the Roosevelt New Deal laws
constitutional, particularly the N. r. A..
and even to 60 further. If the federa.
tion goes on record in favor of such an
amendment, will it give the Roosevelt
Democrats courage to come forward
with definite plan for a constitutional