Evening star., 1935-09-11
LEADERS At ODDS
ON LONGS POWER
Nye Thinks louisiana n
Would Have Entered
Third-Party Move.
ny the Associated Press.

~ the Associated Press.
Whether a strong threat to Pres
ident Roosevelt's reelection died with
Senator Long was a subject Of dis
agreement today among political lead
ers in the Capital.
Long might easily have held the
balance of power in 1885," said Sen
ator Nye, Republican, Of North Da-
kota. There is little or no doubt
he would have been a candidate at
the Democratic convention. I think
he would have gone then into third
party movement. 1t is difficult to
estimate his following. but it would
have been material.
His death lessons the possibility OF
o division in the Democratic party
and to that extent strengthens the
administration.
Most emphatically, there is no one
on the horizon to take his place"
Other Views Differ.
But Senator Thomas, Democrat, OF
Utah, Senator Norris, Republican, OF
Nebraska, and a number Of others
placed different estimates on the pos
sible consequences.
Expressing belief that Longs death
would not affect the outcome Of next
years election materially. Thomas as
serted bolt by the LouiSianan from
the Democratic standard would have
given the Democratic presidential
candidate a conservative vote-gettine
appeal.
Thomas said no third party move
fnent ever had been effective in the
United States, and added Senator Long
was born in the wrong place to do
damage to the Democratic party"
Suppose he had joined the Social
lists. Where would the votes have
come from?" he demanded. He
would have wrecked his own following,
because they are not the type who
follow Norman Thomas.
Suppose he had connected up with
the Progressives. If President RooSe-
velt has any marking at all, it's Pro-
gressive.
"Fascism would have had no appeal
whatever nationally. If we ever nave
q Fascist group in America. its leader
will be very, very different from Sena-
tor Long.
His great strength was his ability
10 stand alone. Probably no one has
done it more effectively"
Place Could Be Filled.
Thomas, who was chairman Of a
committee which investigated cam
paign expenditures in Louisiana few
years ago, emphasized he had no in
tention of belittling Senator Long or
his following.
He said, however, that some one
else-"using his methods"-could take
Longs place.
Senator Norris said he doubted that
the administration would be either
strengthened or weakened politically
as a result of the assassination.
Il doubt very much if he would
have organized third party, or sup
ported a Republican nominee unless
that nominee were some one whom he
thought superior to the Democratic
candidate" Norris added.
Senator Donahey. Democrat. of
Ohio, who lived in the same apart
ment building Long did, likewise held
that whether the Senator lived or
died wouldn't have changed the re-
suit In 1886"
ut is my opinion he was a Demo-
crat at heart" Donahey asserted,
"and that he would have been guided
largely by the lineup that presents
itself at the conclusion of the con-
ventionS. 1t is probable he would have
supported the President unless the
opposition had presented a progress
sive candidate who met his ideals"
Discounting third party possibili-
ties generally, he expressed belief that
mo one man can line up the progress
sives In this country"