Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-07-21
DEMOCRATS VISION.
PARTY SPLIT SOON.
New Deal Court Views Seen
Likely to Speed Con-
sentative Revolt.


prints the tolloWino dispatch to-
day from Washington:
With Bainbridge Colby, former Sec
rotary Of state in the Wilson admins
tration, acting as a leading sponsor Of
the movement, discussions among
group of conservative Democrats have
reached the point. it was learned yes
terday, where the possibility of q ma
tional conference to throw their
strength openly against the New Deal
has been discussed.
A proposal has even been made
privately to well known Democrats in
the anti Roosevelt camp that full
fledged convention be called next
Spring, shortly in advance of what
would be the regular Democratic con-
Venticn, for the purpose of discussing
policies and perhaps even nominating
a candidate.
The idea of picking date preced-
ing the usual June convention would
be to avoid the stigma of having the
meeting called a rump convention.
Might Usurp Top Ranking.
One prepayment of the plan is even
optimistic enough to believe that a
suflcient representation of old-line
Democrats could be brought to an
anti-New Deal convention to lay the
basis for claim that it was the regu-
lar convention while the other was a
collection of benefciaries or seekers Of
patronage and Government doles. :"
This development came simulta-
neously with the violent break of Albert
c. Ritchie, former Governor of Mary
land and several times q hopeful
aspirant for the Democratic presiden-
tial nomination, away from the Fed
eral administra0iu Mr.. Richie. be-
Ieved still to hold political ambitions,
declared that the Nsw Deal was "on
the rocks" and the time for a change,
after a patient period of waiting, was
at hand.
1t came also as efforts of Clark
Howell, Atlanta publisher and friend
of President Roosevelt, failed to bring
about peace between the White House
and Gov. Eugene Talnladge of Geor-
gia, q Democratic STATE executive, who
has been bitter in his attacks on Mr..
Roosevelt and the ''madhouse" of the
New. Deal.
Opposition Unified.
Conservative Democrats in the Sem
ate have been wary Of the first ap-
proaches Of outside members of their
party looking toward a new align
ment, but the ADMINISTRATIONS hints
at constitutional changes, plus its
pressing of the "cGath sentence"
utility bill, the tax oil and the meas
ures to prohibit suiIs against the Gov
esnment on che gold clause or the
A. A. A. processing taxes, have helped
to cement conservative opposition.
Senator Carter Glacs, veteran Dem
ocrat of Virginia, will be driven even
further into the aati-adminiS ration
camp when his banking bill reaches
fhe floor of the Senate next week. Ad-
rninistration figures have indirectly
served notice that thet will refuse
to 'humor" him any longer and that
they will fight for a drastic alteration
Of his bill.
The general plan for a convention
Of regular" conservative Democrats,
aS proposed to members of the party
In washington, would apparently look
to an alliance later with the Repub-
hcans in joint campaign against the
reelection of President Roosevelt. The
10
might possibly nominate a candidate
for President or Vice President, one or
the other, and leave the later Repub-
lean convention to complete a ticket.
Seek Formidable Lineup.
Whether or not these proposals ma
lure, they have been pressed suf1-
GENTLY to be the subject of letters and
telephone calls to the Capital. The
sponsors have no doubt that by next
Spring they can marshal formidable
list Of names for a New Deal bolt.
The convention idea would be a
further step beyond the private con-
ference of dozen leading conserva-
tive Democrats which Mr.. Colby sug-
gested last May in a batch of letters
to potential participants. Mr.. Colby,
who is urging Republican conserva-
tive Democratic coalition. proposed a
gathering In Southern city such as
Richmond. Old-line Democrats in
Congress refused to follow along with
Mr.. Colby publicly but the chance of
future action was not foreclosed.
With the spotlight turning on the
Supreme Court next Winter and the
probability admitted to be existing
that some major items of New Deal
legislation may be declared unconsti-
tVtional, impetus may be given to q
conservative rift In the Democratic
party. This would be because the
President in all probability would turn
to q popular test on constitutional
change. Inevitably the result would
be to drive many conservative mem
bers OF his party into an open revolt
which they have thus far Stunned.
toopyright, New York Herald Tribune,