The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-01-01
So TO BE WILD
YEAR IN j. 5.
POLITICS
BY EARL GOODWIN

Slp-Snorter IN natlonaI poHtlcS'
People thought that 1882 was
wild year for politics; but the fel-
lows who got such a bad licking
have come back yelling like wild
Indians and what the Republicans
have in store for the Democrats
IN the way Of a fight will be worth
while watching.
AS to the victor-wel, as an
inside tip, James A. Farley, chair
man Of the Democratic National
Committee, tells you confiden.
tally that Franklin D. Roosevelt
will be elected with just as many
States for him as in 1882.
Both Have Opinions
Also, as a strictly inside bit Of
information, Henry D. Fletcher,
chairman Of the Republican Ma
tional Committee, tells you that
Roosevelt Will Be Beaten"
There Is more at stake than
mere party organization. The
normal order-not necessarily the
"Old Orders being assailed by
new influences. The country has
had q taste Of a paternal Federal
Government, and the taste has
been good to some and bitter to
others.
The political year will see dis
cuSsions Of the tremendous prob
lens Of Federal expenses, taxes,
neutrality. Business is getting
better, but unemployment is not
decreasing-in fact, there are
some StatisticianS who claim I'm.
employment is worse than ever.
Politically minded Americans
believe that the solution lies in
the continuance or diScontinuance
(according to parties) of the Ad.
ministration, but social scientists
gloomily point out that it is not
politics which makes ynemploy-
ment, but the efficiency Of the in
dustrial plants Of the country;
more and more labor-saving de-
vices are being installed.
The AAA Problem
The Republicans will gather
June 8 at Cleveland, and if they
maintain their present exuberance
they will aStonish the country
with their fighting optimism.
They will attack the AdminiStra-
ton on practically everything that
has happened since Roosevelt was
inaugurated, but just what they
will have in the way Of SubSti-
tute for AAA is problematical.
What the Republicans must do
to gain the support of the large
Western farm belt is to frame a
program that promises as much
or more than AAA and at the
same time not be quite so fan.
taStic.
Meantime, only a few days ap.
parently remain before the Su'
preme Court Of the United States
decides whether or not the pro
cessing taxes. which support AAA
payment to farmers, are constitu.
tional.
# not, the Federal Government
must devise other means Of rails
ing the money-and that would
precipitate a tax fight which may
lead to widespread political car
mage. Anything can happen.
The greatest immediate inter,
est is in the growing struggle
among several Republican leaders
for enough delegates to control
the Cleveland convention, where
q majority is needed-not two
thirds, as in the Democratic con-
vention.
The Big Leaders
Among the present Republicans
talked Of are Governor Landon,
Of Kansas; Col. Frank Knox, news
paper publisher of Chicago; Her
bert Hoover, former President;
Senator Arthur H. Vandenberg,
of Michigan; Senator L. j. Dick
inson, Iowa, and Senator William
e. Borah, of Idaho.
All was going according to
Hoyle when Senator Borah let |
himself be injected into the Strug.
gle by saying he would not object |
II the voters of Wisconsin put his |
name on the preferential primary
ballots Of that State. This means |
that in the II States where Repub-
1ican voters ballot for candidates
Senator Borah may be q con- |
tender.
His primary object is to hand to
the eastern "Old Guard" a tire
mendous blow that will shake
loose the hold of the old time east
ern Republicans on the Republi-
can party.
Senator Borah is a liberal who
. has voted for many Roosevelt |
policieS-though not all Of them.
He is much more Of q Roosevelt.
tian than some Of the conServa-
tive Democrats, and traditional |
old line Republicans would rather |
vote the Socialist ticket than vote
for Borah."
A Real Fight
Therefore the political battle
field will see as much fireworks !
over Borah as over Roosevelt. |
Whoever wins will know he has
been in a fierce fight; but if
Borah and the liberals are badly
licked there may be a sore feel
ing left which will not be helpful
to the Republican campaign.
The Administrations politicians
will be battling desperately to get |
the liberal and progressive vote,
because it seems at this writing |
that the entire So-called business