Evening star., 1935-12-30
THE POLITICAL
MILL
By G. Could Lincoln.

AS announcement after announcement
comes that Borah-for- President dele
gates to the Republican National Con-
vention are to be sought by liberals in
various States, the prospect of pre-
convention Republican conflict grows
stronger and stronger. Despite Senator
Borah's obvious appeal to many Repub-
hcans, there are others who are violently
opposed to his nomination, among them
| some of the old guard party leaders.
| These leaders have very definite ideas
about the Borah candidacy. Further
| more, Borah has threatened to drive the
| old guardsmen completely out of control
in the party. If they fight back, it is
no more than might be expected. Alone,
| these old guard leaders might have a
| very difficult time defeating Borah. What
they hope. however, is that the entry of
other candidates into the field, not iden-
| tified with the old guard, will be an
| effective check to the Borah boom and
prevent in the end his nomination by
the Republican National Convention.
| X
While these tactics may effectively
| prevent the nomination of Borah, they
may result at the same time in the selec-
| ton of presidential nominee who is
acceptable to Borah. The Landon boom
for President, gathering speed as it
emergeS from the Kansas prairies, is
regarded as one of the principal threats
to the nomination of the Idaho Senator.
| Indeed, it is to Landon that many of the
Eastern Republicans and old guard lead
erS are looking as the main obstacle to
! Borah'S nomination In New England
| Gov. Landon is being described as a
| Western Calvin Coolidge-devoted to
| governmental economy. He is even lik-
| ened to Coolidge because he says little.
| Yet it is doubtful that Landon, unless
he becomes more familiar to the rank
and file Of the Republican party and to
its leaders in all parts of the country,
can in the end win over Borah and the
other entries for the Republican nomina-
ton. Landon is not known to the people
outside of comparatively small area in
| the Middle West. He is merely name,
for example, to the people in New Eng
| land and New York, and even to the
| people in Indiana and Illinois. He has
| made one appearance in Ohio, at a
! Chamber of Commerce dinner in Cleve-
| land, since he has been thrown into the
| presidential race. Conflicting reports
come from those attending that dinner
| as to the impression which the Kansas
| Governor made some saying that it was
disappointing, while others were more
| charitable
Gov. Landon is reported from Topeka
| to have agreed to take under considera-
ton an invitation of Young Republicans
to come at an early date to deliver an
address in New York City. Whatever
Gov. Landon'S campaign managers may
wish in this matter, it is only reasonable
that the Republicans of the East should
have an opportunity to see, hear and
| to size up Gov. Landon as a prospective
| presidential nominee and a possible
| President. They know Something-indeed,
a great deal-about Senator Borah. They
| know much of Senator Vandenberg of
Michigan, who is more and more de-
scribed as the probable compromise"
! candidate if the Republican National
Convention becomes slightly deadlocked.
They are learning more and more about
Col. Frank Knox, publisher of the Chi
cago Daily News, who has been speaking
in attack on the Roosevelt New Deal
in many parts of the country.
If Borah and Landon stop one an
other in the coming national convention,
the Idaho Senator might reasonably turn
his strength in the convention to sup
port of Senator Vandenberg. Vanden-
berg has never been identified with the
old guard. Indeed, he has been of the
so-called young Turk" element among
the Republicans of the Upper House
He and Borah have high regard for one
another. and if Borah should be nomi-
mated, Vandenberg would be out fighting
for Borah'S election. The Michigan Sem
ator has declined absolutely to be drawn
inf IA oloIa Gov rsaIo
gates. He has asked that Michigan send,
not delegation instructed for himself,
but an uninStructed delegation.
- u
Alfred E. Smith, former Governor of
New York and personal and political
friend of President Roosevelt, is not
coming to stay at the White House on
the occasion of his approaching visit to
Washington to address the dinner of
the American Liberty League. If the
former New York Governor is to attack
the Roosevelt New Deal, as it is expected.
| it would be an impossible position for
him to be the guest of the President and
Mrs. Roosevelt. Indeed. the invitation
could scarcely be less than an embar-
raSSment to Mr.. Smith. He is put In
the position Of declining to accept an
invitation to the White House and at
the same time of turning his back on
the man who supported him, Al Smith,
for President so heartily in 1924 and 1928.
- x X
The direct ship subsidy, which has been
! sponsored by President Roosevelt in the
past and is now recommended by Post
master General Farley in his annual re-
port, as substitute for the mail sub
sides paid an-going ships, has raised
| its head again. Senator Copeland of
New York, chairman of the Commerce
Committee of the Senate, is prepared
| to go ahead with the measure at the
coming session of Congress, he says.
Copeland has revised the bill which he
had before the Senate at the last session.
| The old bill was held up in the legislative
| jam of the last session, and also it was
| not put upon the must" list by the
President at that time. If the ship sub
sidy legislation is sought again at the
coming session, it is likely to occupy
considerable time in the Senate, and
perhaps also in the House. The result
will be to delay that hoped-for adjourn
nEnt Of Congress in April.
A claim that at least 80 members of
the House are in favor of the Townsend
$20O-a-month old-age pension plan is