Evening star., 1936-12-03
THE POLITICAL
MILL
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

The thin Republican senatorial line
is reforming in Washington. McNary Of
Oregon, the party's leader in the Upper
House. and Borah of Idaho, who tried
for the Republican presidential nomina-
ton and failed, but who was re-
elected to the Senate. both arrived in
washington yesterday. Gov. H. Styles
Bridges of New Hampshire. Senator
elect, and Senator Wallace White of
Maine also were in the Capital looking
over the ground. Borah and McNary, old
hands at the game of politics, were
loath at this time to comment for pub
lication on the prospects of the Repub-
lican party, or what should be done.
Both were convinced during the cam
paign that 1t was impossible this year
to defeat Roosevelt, particularly with
grade.
The Idaho Senator may be expected
to join with other Republicans who are
anxious to make an end, once and for
all, Of the old guard members Of the
Republican national organization. and to
rebuild the G. o. p. along more liberal
lines. He attacked constantly the old
guardsmen on the National Commit
tee and in other places Of influence in
the party during his preconvention CAM
paign for the presidential nomination.
So far, however, he has refrained from
issuing q blast.
Bridges. the new Republican Senator
from New Hampshire, who succeeds
Senator Keyes, is only 38 years old,
vigorous and ready to work hard to put
the G. o. p. back on its feet, If it can
be done. He expressed himself as
anxious to see the party reconstructed
along liberal lines and as hopeful that
he might participate. At one time dur
ing the Cleveland convention Bridges
was discussed as possible running mate
for Gov. ALI M. Landon, the choice Of
the party for the presidency. Bridges
was perfectly willing to make the race
If the party wanted him to do so. AS
things turned out he was lucky. For
when he failed to be picked for the vice
presidential nomination he went back
to New Hampshire, cleaned up former
Senator George H. Moses in the primary
for the senatorial nomination. and then
won handily on November 8, although
his State was carried by Roosevelt and
Garner in the national election.
4 r
The Republicans will have only IT
Senators in the coming Congress. Some
of them are more pro-New Deal than
anti. Never before, since the Repub-
licans came into power in 1860. has the
party fallen so low in its proportion of
the membership of the Senate. What
McNary can do with this corporals
guard in the coming session is q conun-
drum. Not all of the II see alike on
many issues and measures. He prob
ably will call them together, however,
Just before the session meets so as to
permit party organization and to ex-
change views on what the Republicans
in the Senate shall do. There are
scarcely enough Of them. acting all to-
gether, to be an effective minority.
However some Of the more conservative
Democrats may. at times. flop over to
them in opposition to administration
measures. And anyway, the Republicans
are planning to scrutinize very carefully
all the legislative proposals sent to the
Capitol by the President. This does not
mean that they will oppose all these pro-
posals.
The redoubtable Jack" Garner Of
Texas, Vice President Of the United
States, has come to Washington with
blood in his eye He is here to fight for
his friend Sam Rayburn, the Texas Rep.
resentative who is seeking the Demo-
cratic floor leadership In the House.
Garner announced his purpose frankly
as soon as he reached the Capital.
Whether this was q tactical error re-
mains to be seen. Some Of his old
friends say that he might have been
more effective If he had just come up
here and gone quietly about the business
Of gathering in votes among the House
members for Rayburn. That way, they
say, would not have aroused the open
antagonism Of House members, who re-
sent taking orders from the presiding
oficer OF the Senate.
Be that as 1t may, the Vice President
Is throwing all his influence openly to
the side Of Rayburn. In some quarters
this is regarded as tantamount to the
support of the administration. The
friends Of Representative John O'Connor
Of New York, who has been chairman Of
the House Rules Committee, are resent
full, quite naturally, Of the stand taken
by Garner They insist he should keep
his hands OF, and that the President
should do likewise. Anyway you look
at it the fight for the Democratic leader
ship in the House is hot.
- + +
Garner is no novice in politics, particu-
larly in the House, where he served for
many years and was himself Democratic
floor leader and afterward Speaker. If
he has decided to make an open fight
for Rayburn it is probably because he
believes it the best tactics. Furthermore,
Rayburn is one of his best and closest
friends. It was Rayburn who was his
own campaign manager for the Demo-
cratic presidential nomination in 1882,
and it was Rayburn who supported
Garner for leader and for Speaker in
the House. Garner believes in going
to the mat for friend and he is doing
Just that for Rayburn. There has long
been talk that the administration would
prefer to see Rayburn have the Job Of
leader In the House, that the President
as well as "Jim" Farley. chairman Of
the Democratic National Committee and
Postmaster General, were for Rayburn
and more or less "off" O'Connor. Rep
resentative Rankin of Mississippi is q
contender also for the leadership, but
the race seems to lie between OConnor
and Rayburn. Well, the President has
gone to South America and Farley has
gone to Ireland But Garner has come
to washington to line up votes for Ray