Evening star., 1936-09-11
SUN STAND DRAWS |
REPLY OF PARTIES
Each Major Faction Has Its
Own Interpretation
of Action.
BYG. GOULD LINCOLN.

OF Action.
By G. GOULD LINCOLN.
The political effect of the Balt1-
more SUMS declaration that Sin this
campaign it Is unable to advocate the
reelection of President Roosevelt
was assessed in politically minded
Washington today.
Roosevelt supporters were quick to
say that the Baltimore Sun, as set
forth In its editorial today taking leave
Of the Democratic national ticket,
has strongly and editorially opposed
many of the Roosevelt policies and
measures They could not see, there
fore, that the definite announcement
would be particularly effective.
The Roosevelt opposition, however.
took q great deal of encouragement,
for the newspaper has been de-
voted to the cause Of Democracy
and the Democratic party for 100
years. Its only previous splits with
Democratic national tickets came In
1896 and 1908, when the newspaper
failed to support the late William
Jennings Bryan. In both these years,
Maryland gave its electoral votes to
the Republican candidates for Presi-
dent. Four years ago the Sun sup
ported President Roosevelt, who car
ried the State 314.314 to 184,1s4.
Landon Not Backed-Yet.
Maryland this year is battle
ground, with both the Republicans
and the Democrats claiming advan-
tage. From any point Of view, 1t does
not appear that the withdrawal of
support by the Baltimore Sun can be
considered an asset to the Roosevelt
cause.
The Sun has not yet announced its
definite support of Gov. ALI M. Lam
don of Kansas, the Republican presi-
dental candidate. However, after set
ting forth its own belief in a system
Of competitive capitalism, neither
dominated by great private industries
nor by the Government. the Sun uses
this significant language:
Does Gov. Landon believe any of
this? And does he believe that the
fundamental policy to which the Gov
ernment should commit itself Is gen.
uine competitive system, with sucn lib
eral adjustments in lower tariff poll
ices, in debt policies, in credit policies,
IN currency stabilization policies, in
law-enforcement policies and in labor
policies as will promote the kind OF
competition that is healthy and real?
In the Suns opinion, there is reason
to believe that he does
Willing to Give Support.
The Sun said that if Landon should
speak "in clear and bold terms" a
confession of faith In line with It's
own, 1t would support him, mo mat
ter what his prospects may be-" II
the Republican candidate does not
speak so clearly and boldly, then "the
Sun intends to continue its fight for
ideas that it believes to be sound
and in the interest of the people, and
will make the best Of a situation in
which it cannot advocate the election
Of either candidate"
Gov. Landon Is to speak in Maine
tomorrow night, winding up the CAM
paign there for the election of a Gov
ernor. q United States Senator anc
members Of the House. It may be
that in that address the Sun will find
the assurance which 1t demands fol
the support Of the Republican candi-
date. .-
The wide publication of the fac
that the Baltimore Sun has deter.
mined not to support the Roosevelt
candidacy doubtless will have some
effect in States other than Maryland
where so-called Jeffersonian Demo-
Gratis already have organized to try to
defeat the President. In Maryland it.
self nearly 10000 of them went to the
polls in the Democratic primary last
Spring to vote for Col. Henry Breck-
tnridge, who entered for presidential
preference against President Roosevelt
The decision of The Sun is likely to
help hold most of these voters in line
against Roosevelt in the November
election, and perhaps to attract others
Mrs. Whitman Switches.
While the Republicans and anti
Roosevelt Democrats were taking sat-
asfaction from the Baltimore Sun edi-
torial, the Roosevelt New Dealers
were rejoicing in the fact that Mrs.
Charles S. Whitman, wife of a for
mer Republican Governor of New
York, had announced she would sup
port Roosevelt. Mrs. Whitman said
that she had talked the matter over
with her husband, but would not
comment on his attitude in any way
in this matter. She has always voted
the Republican ticket in the past. She
was quoted as saying in New York:
II have always voted the straight
Republican ticket without thinking
very much about It, My change OF
political beliefs was crystallized by
joining class for public speaking at
the Women's Republican Club, where
the literature handed me attacking
the administration and on which /
was supposed to base my speeches
turned me definitely for Mr.. Roose-
welt. I found could not speak
against him.
There may be criticism Of the
methods employed In the working out
OF his policies, but there can be none
on the policies themselves. It seems
to me this country has been waiting
for them for long time, and I think
we had better stick by them until they
are made to work in good order.