The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-08-03
BEHIND l THE SCENES
 WASHINGTON

WASHINGTON
 DV RODNEY pvTcHER-b
 Democrat Washington
 Correspondent.
 New Deals Friends Go Over
 Strong in Primaries .. Foe
 Routed in Alabama, Two
 Texas Supporters to Be
 Returned to House ..
 Power Interests Rebuffed.
 Washington, Aug. 3-Democrats planning to meet in Detroit Aug. 2 70 express their detestation of the New Deal will not include holders of public office or those who recent v enjoyed the suffrage of the voters.
 Whether there is any sIgnlf- canoe In that-Or any reason for belief, that Al Smith, Governor Ely Of Massachusetts, and ex- Senator Jim Reed of Missouri have lost their old popular fol- iOwings--lt ls . thought which arises ir connection with the fact that the New Deal has been con- spicuously successful this year in most Democratic primary elections where It's prestige, It's favOPiteS, or its enemies were involved.
 n4aeV,a ANAese ABA AaUu TaaI aSaA aANt. New Deal members of Congress have been renominated more or less automatically. Tn 20 state primar- ies involving 2iS House seats, only 10 members have been defeated for renoniination. And only one lone senator, Tom Gore of Oklahoma. Luck Still With F. D. R.
 The point is, however--if 1t is a point--that in fights where candi- dates have been outstandingly iden- tified with the administration and ass legislation, and special attacks were made upon them, and in con- tests where the Democratic in- Cuinbents similarly have fought the New Deal to where they were cor- aially hated in administration ranks, Roosevelt has had the breaks.
 Gore, of course, played the role of gadfly in Washington, loud in hls contempt for newfangled legisla- tion and constantly censorlous of It's administration. He will be succeed cd by someone definitely more 2riendly-C Congressman Josh Lee. Another Enemy Down
 Defeat of Congressman George Huddleston in Alabama was even more satisfying to the New Deal crowd. It's at least c good guess that the administration went aS far as it could, without exposing itself, to contribute to the result.
 Huddleston came within hairs breadth last year of wrecklng ROosevelt's pet Wheeler Rayburn public utility holding company act. He served on Q conference committee aS . key member, and his die.hard opposition brought on as spectacular . test of strength between Q president and a powerful special interest group, in this case the power trust" aS has ever been seen.
 The hatred built up between Hud- dieston and the New Deal can hardly be overStated. If power companies didn't back HuddleSton in tho primaries, they're the most ungrateful wretches on earth, which they seldom are.
 And Friends Come Back
 h Texas Congressman Sam Ray burn was renominated Equivalent to ge-election there), and Congress- man Maury Maverick received such Q large plurality as to assure his Tenomination in 0 run.off.
 Rayburn k ROOseVeltS candl. date (lt's supposed to be . secret, of c0urseD for Democratic floor leader and to succeed Bill Bank head as speaker of the House In case the latter'S health doesn't hold out. Rayburn damned the holding company bill through the House, and rushed through the stock market, security and other New Deal measures.
 Power companies tried to lick him, even getting house-to- house can- vassers, ostensibly selling household articles, to make speeches against him at all calls. Maverick Is the South's outstand- ing liberal in Congress. He also in- cured the wrath of utilities and oil interests, and a large slush fund was thrown in against him. He campaigned as pal of the ad- ininistration. Roosevelt although al- ways publicly proclaiming that he can take no part in primary cons tests, secretly did everything he reasonably could to insure Maver- ick's renominatlon. Sure of Further Support
 Still another successful New Deal Congressman who pulled through Tn the face of Q hard fight was Con- gressnian David Lewis of Maryland,
 It would be easy Co Overesti- mate the significance of these apply to the presidential race. Ex- cept In the case of Lewis, these victories occurred In states where Roosevelt's plurality In November is . f0regone conclusion.
 What they do indicate is that, If Roosevelt is reelected, he may have much the same nucleus of loyal supporters in Congress which he has had before. That suggestion must be qualified, however, by the fact that Senator Costigan of Colorado had to retire because of physical collapse, and that Senator George