Montana labor news., 1936-12-17
President 10 Right
or Left Remains Great
Unanswered Question
By HENRY ION
Federated Press

the burning question mere as the
nation accorded Franklin d. Roose-
welt the greatest popular vote ever
delivered to an American president.
The answer was not readily forth
coming.
With the official tabulations still
incomplete, unofficial returns
showed that the President carried
As of the 48 states, giving him al
electoral vote of 523 to 8 for Alfred
M. Landon. The previous highest
electoral vote was 472 registered by
Roosevelt in 1882.
Sliding along on the Presidents
coat tails were a huge number of
Congressman. In the House, the
Democrats added to their total of
3l5. In almost every contested state
candidates for senatorial jobs on the
Democratic slate were chosen.
In the midst of the popular ac-
claim for the New Deal philosophy,
there were casualties. Rep. Mar
cantonio (R., N. ", one of the most
militant progressives in the House,
fell by the wayside. Rep. Sisson
Cd, N. ", a consistent foe of
teachers oath measures and a stand
ard bearer for civil liberties, also
was discarded.
In California, Rep. Byron Scott
CD was engaged in a nip and tuck
battle with the outcome in the bal
ance until the final vote and in Wis
consin Rep. Amlie (P.) emerged
from a hard battle. Both are stauneh
members of the diminishing pro-
gressive bloc.
Heartening news came from Tex
as. Rep. Blanton Cd fell by the
wayside long ago and will not be
missed. Rep. Maverick Cd, a lib
eral, came through with flying col
ors. In Minnesota, Farmer-Labor-
ties elected their senatorial and
gubernatorial nominees and in
creased their representation in the
House from three to six or seven.
The more sober observers here
viewed the returns with a mixture
of apprehension and joy. It was
generally felt that while the huge
vote was, in a measure due to the
personal qualities of the President,
it was also an affirmation Of liberal
ism and a rejection Of reaction. AT
the same time, the liberalism Of
President Roosevelt remains an I'M
known quality and should he choose
to abandon it, the reaction might
have disastrous consequences.
Part of the answer may be founo
in the number of votes for Socialist
and Communist candidates. A heavy
total vote for these two groups vii
serve notice that a large section Of
the population is on guard against
any backsliding in the liberal poll
cies of President Roosevelt. 1t i;
feared, however, that these votes
will not be numerous.
Another part of the answer will be
at hand when the Supreme Court
renders its decision on the Wagner.
Connery labor disputes act establish
ing the National Labor Relations
Board. If the verdict is unfavorable,
as is generally expected, popular
clamor will be raised against the
court. Actions of the President in
this instance will bear watching.
The course of those industrial
overlords who formed the American
Liberty League and its various adj
juncts remains undetermined. Al
Liberty League offices here it was
said that their line of future action
was as yet unmarked. The Chicago
Tribune, organ of reaction in the
/, middle west, charged that the cleo
J ton of Roosevelt wa the creation
of a "communistic popular front
J and that more Socialists and Com
) munists voted for the President thar
for their own parties.
The New York Herald Tribune
front for the Republicans in the east
was more circumspect, warning the
: President not to go too far. Whethel
these open and covert threats of re
t bellion from the ranks of the eco
t nomic royalists are symbolic of any
2 thing more than poor sportsmanshil
: remains part of the unanswered
: question of (Which way Mr.. Roose
velt?"
1t is believed that large number
0 of business men will seek to maxi
their peace with the President anC
: the New Deal administration. Man.
have already embarked upon tina
e course and it is entirely possible tina
e the President and his economic roy
/ alists may go down the road hanc
t in hand. Actions of the administra
: ton in the present maritime strik'
/ will be an early clue.
i Others, such as the duPonts, j
" Howard Pew, and the Rockefeller
may turn from democratic processe
+ to the use of other means and per
sons such as Gerald Smith an,
n Father Coughlin.
NEW YORK. - (FP) - Wages a
e low as 4c an hour are being pal,