The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1935-03-07
SEEN and HEARD
around the
National Capital
zBy CARTER rIELDs

dent Roosevelt from both the extreme
conservative and the extreme radical
sides Is obvious to the most casual OBJ
server In Washington.
1t is difficult to prove any given case,
for In every instance some senators or
members of the house are honestly and
enthusiastically for the particular thing
that the White House thinks would
hamstrng its program. Proof Of the
real underlying desires Of any given
senator being so difficult to obtain. 1t
would be very misleading to name
names.
The interesting point about the
swhole situation, however, lies not In
any particular move against the adj
mlnlstration which may gain unexpect-
ed support. but In the possible conse-
quences for 1886.
1t muddies what until now had been
a very clear view of what seemed GER
tain to happen, and which In all prob
ability still is very sure. 1t Is only the
fact that there Is now bit Of cloud
on the horizon-which may or may not
grow--that Is really interesting at all.
The cloud Is the possibility that a
group of the extremists may get to-
gether and form third party next
year. For such move to get any
where 1t must surmount several rather
tall hurdles. One is whether they
could even get together on candidate,
there being no such person In the Of
11ng as the elder La Toilette was In
1924.
With that hurdle surmounted, and
assuming-which Is much easier-that
the third party leaders could agree on
a platform, the next hurdle Is some
thing over which the radicals have no
control whatever-what the regular Re
publIcans will do.
Big Handicap
For the only possible Importance OF
a third party entering the field would
not be the possibility OF elect!ng Its
own candidates. but OF giving the Re-
publlcans d chance to beat Roosevelt,
Just as the elder La Follette's candi-
dacy In 1924 assured the election OF
Calvin Coolidge by landslide. The
third party would draw votes from the
New Deal It would not get any OF
the 13.0O0.000 men and women who
voted the Republican ticket last No
vember
Even with this big handicap, how
ever, the Republicans would have to
make good showing to win. big
ger showing, In fact. than there Is any
apparent probability at this time OF
their making. Their difficulties re-
volve not only around the candidate
but the platform.
What could they agree on In ma.
tional convention as to platform
Talks with half dozen leading Re
publican survivors In the house AND
senate Indicate almost that number Of
widely varying views as to the proper
course to be taken as to issues. AND
the same Is true with respect to candi
dates. with the notable difference thai
here 1t Is not a case OF warmly advo
eating different candidates, hut Of cold
ly rejecting nearly all candidates II
sight.
There Is not the personal angT
which usually Is so apparent at THU
stage of the Presidential term anon,
the OUTS No,one Is screaming for thi
or that candidate. All unite In sayin'
they do not know. what candidate woul'
make good rum
There Is less opposition to Senate
Arthur II. vandenberg OF Michigan
and to Frank Knox. the publisher, thai
TO most. but even those who like thes
particular men disagree as to what tn
platforms should be.
Altogether. even with more success
for the radicals than Is now antic
pated. the picture Is not very discor
certing to the New Deal. Actually. tn
far more important element Is whethe
business can revive sufficiently by NJ
vember, 1896, for America to see Ii
path leading out of the present diff
culties.
The Baby Bonds