Milford chronicle., 1935-03-29

According to all signs, the Presi-
dental campaign of 1886 is likely
to make that of 1932-which was
considered exceptionally bitter
look like tea party. Issues are
forming, forces are appearing, that
are entirely unprecedented in Amer
ican politics.
1t seems inevitable that there
will be third. party in the field
and it seems equally inevitable that
that party will be of the extreme
left. 1t may be led by Huey Long,
backed by Father Coughlin, and use
as its appeal the Every Man a
King" thesis. It may be led by a
Townsend Plan advocate. promising
prosperity for all through govern
mental largesse to the aged. 1t may
be led by someone who stands for
something we haven't yet heard Of.
Few think that the third party
candidate would win-the Electoral
College system of counting votes
for the Presidency makes that prac-
tically impossible, as Roosevelt the
first discovered, and as LaFollette
the elder did after him. The third
party's importance lies in what ef-
feet it will have on the vote obtained
by the regular Republican and Dem
Ocratic party candidates-and there
in is an opportunity for endless
conjecture.
Backers of the President pooh
pooh the third party, say he is GER
tain to win a sweeping victory in
'S6 whether the movement material
ICES or not. Opponents of the Presi-
dent hold that the third party would
draw millions of votes that would
otherwise go to Mr.. Roosevelt, would |
thus indirectly cause the election |
of a conservative Republican, who
would. have support of most busi-
ness men. together with the party's
established following.
1t was that aspect of the question
which General Johnson spoke on
in his amazing speech of a fortnight
ago. Whatever you think of the
Generals views, you have to ad-
init he has courage, he isn't afraid
to speak his mind. In his speech,
he made a bitter attack on Long and
Coughlin and all they stood for.
Then he turned and lashed the con-
servatives who might encourage
them in order to draw support away
from Roosevelt and split the liber- {
al-radical camp. General Johnson
said that such political opportun- |
ism pushes the American democracy I
steadily toward "a licking or a die
.ator." 1t is an interesting fact I
hat, following the speech, the Cen Z
erals views were heartily endorsed S
n many substantial quarters-in- I
,luding newspapers, public men and a
s
A question of the hour is, How v
Ioes Mr.. Roosevelt's strength COM
,are to what it was a year ago? The /
Inswer. made by boiling down the
opinion of a legion of observers, is
hat he is slipping that he still
las the confidence of the bulk of the h
'oters. That, of course, doesn't
nswer the question of how far he u
nay slip-or have regained or add Il
d strength-by next year. That,
4 turn, is going to depend on the VI
tate of recovery. ",
At the present time, the recov- r.
ry program has failed in various n,
nportant particulars-and, in ad- in
ition, it has become confused with h
le reform program. Unemploy- v,
lent scars. More people are on IF
elief than ever. Industry is sit in
ng still, and. many leaders seem VI
essimistic. A belief is prevalent IN
lat the Presidents program has "a
st direction-that it is whirling VI
'ound in circles, is going nowhere. dc
1t is that fact which supports the
)pes of third party radicals-they
el that the people, if they see the
ilure of a more moderate program,
i'll go for one that is really left ~ ~
ing. And the conservatives,
rangely enough, base their hopes
exactly the same thing-they be- Nv
we that a Roosevelt collapse would ~.
nd voters scurrying back to the
ght-wing of economic thought. ~
What is right? Guess as much as 3"
u like-but don't bet on it. {"
tn,
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