Evening star., 1935-01-27

ROOSeVelC-WneTe else COuld Jney come
from? Obviously, no one Of the
nearly Ia millions who voted the
Republican ticket last November is
ever going to vote for Huey Long
or for any of the other radicals.
Practically all the votes that the
radicals get must come off the left
ward side Of Mr.. Roosevelt's following.
If in 1886, the times being then
still bad, if Mr.. Roosevelt loses TO
the radicals many votes from his
leftward wing, what then will happen
to his political fortunes? Will he
gain an equivalent number on his
right wing? Will the conservatives
of the country be so frightened by
the times continuing bad, by the phe-
nomena which would accompany that,
and by the growing menace of such
radical leadership as that of Huey
Long and the others-will the con-
servatives thus alarmed turn to Mr..
Roosevelt, unite behind him?
I am told by some who are sup
posed to know the political strategy
of the White House that this is the
hope in that quarter; that Mr. Roose-
welt and his political advisers hope
for, or expect, the conservatives to
get behind him as their only protec-
ton against the Huey Longs.
But will this happen? Will any of
the nearly 100000 who last Novem-
Der voted the Republican ticket vote
in 1886 for Mr.. Roosevelt? They
would not do so today. Would they
81 months from now? I should
doubt it-and if this doubt is soundly
based it spells danger to Mr.. Roosevelt
in 1896 1t would seem as IL the
nearly ID millions who voted against
the New Deal in the congressional
elections last November are rock bot
tom, an irreducible minimum who
would never vote in favor of the
New Deal.
If the Republicans. the conserva-
tives. hold their nearly IA millions
together next year. and if Mr.. Roose-
welt next year should lose several mil
lions to the miscellaneous radicals.
the only answer is so obvious that it
need hardly be set down on paper
All that has been said so far is on one
assumption, that times continue bad.
II next year times are good. if bv
election day the country is feeling
prosperous and cheerful. in that event
Mr.. Roosevelt's reelection is about
as certain as anything in politics can
be. With the times good and the
people happy, the Huey Longs and
the other radicals would evaporate
and Mr.. Roosevelt would hold all the
strength that the Democrats had in
tne congressional elections in Novem-
Der.
Fantastic" Prophesy.
To suggest that under any circum-
stances Mr.. Roosevelt might lose the
presidential election next year seems
fantastic. 1t is predicted wholly on
the assumption that times are still
bad. so bad as to give rise to formid-
able third party movements under
several radical leaders. Even on that
assumption or on any ASSUMPTION it
would be rash to suggest that Mr.
Roosevelt might lose. He has and
VIII have superb political organiza-
tlon under the direction of Postmaster
General Farley. He will have at
least S4.000,000,000 to disburse for re-
Hef. II the lesser appropriation for
rellet that the Democrats had last
year was. as Mr.. Frank Kent called II
the greatest campaign fund in his
tory the fund next year will be
greater yet. And let no one doubt
that these funds have political effect
NO one nPnH CerinrYcIx-
are deLberately so distributed and di-
rected as to help the party in power
II any one chooses to doubt that. to
place so high an estimate of disinter-
eSteoneSs on political leaders-then
one can come to the same result nv
accepting the cupidity of the peonIe
as a motive. All over the country
voters ana citizens last year did, ( d
next year will go on the assunoption
that 1t is prudent and profitable IN
stand we'll with the party in power.
A thousand homely maxims attest to
where the honey is, there will the
oeeS gather" In less pleasing bio
logical analogy substitute "carrionp
Ior money and "buzzards" for bees
In an old-time and often-proved po-
ntlcal maxim current in the South
whose bread eat his song SING "
From the point of view either of
politics or of craftsmanship it is diff
ncult to understand one of the major
policies Mr.. Roosevelt is following
Always he placates the radicals. But
no amount Of placating he can do will
ever satisfy them. However far he
goes in their direction, they will move
StllI farther to the left. The very
necessities Of their political existence
require them to distinguish themselves
from the President; to be more radi-
cal, more leftward than he. At the
same time the Presidents keeping to
the left at once diSmays conservatives
and causes business recovery to be diff
hcut. PoStponement of recovery is
practically the only peril Mr.. Roose-
Welt has. If by 1886 Mr.. Roosevelt
has brought good times. if he has
brought it without revolutionary
cnange in our governmental or social
forms; if he has brought it without
imitation intervening-in that event
Mr.. Roosevelt should not only be re-
elected. but should be assured of a
rather remarkable place in history.
copyrisht, 1885. New York Tribune Inc.