Evening star., 1936-10-12
THE POLITICAL
MILL
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

BOISE, idaho, October 12.-President
Roosevelt's campaign trip into the
Midwest, reaching as far as Denver,
is interpreted in some Republican
quarters as an admission that the
New Deal high command is worried.
On the other hand it should be remem-
bered that the President is fighting for
reelection, and it is quite natural that
he should not leave any stone unturned.
On the stump he is worth a lot of votes to
the New Deal cause. His speech in Omaha
Saturday night. dealing with the farm
problem, was political masterpiece. He
told the farmers Of the country what the
New Deal has done for them, as he sees
1t. As q matter of fact, many Of the
farmers see it the same way. 1t was the
kind OF speech that appeals to these
Western farmers, including these in
Idaho. On the other hand, his defense
of the administrator reciprocal trade
agreements was not as well received.
The farmers of the Northwest and the
West distinctly are disgruntled over these
trade pacts, which they believe have per-
mitted the entry of farm products Of
Canada and other nations in competition
with the products of the American
farmer.
n 4
The President undoubtedly had in
mind when he went to Minnesota and to
Nebraska the need of patching up dis
sensions Of serious proportions in the
Democratic ranks in those States. He
has been regarded as a past master at
healing breaches. He had a tough job.
however, in Minnesota. What the result
of his efforts at peacemaking in that
State will be is still open to discussion.
Through his own connivance, according
to reports, the Democratic candidates
for Governor and Senator withdrew at
the last minute from the race in order
to win the votes of the Farmer-Labor
party for himself in the presidential
race. Their action in so Withdrawing has
sounded the death knell for the Demo-
cratic party, as such. in Minnesota, II
you can believe the old-line Democrats
in that State.
Beyond that the apparent Endorsement
which Roosevelt gave to the Farmer
Labor party in Minnesota has again
raised the criticism leveled against
Roosevelt that he is playing for the ultra
radical and red" vote Of the country. A
subscriber to the Omaha World Herald
suggested that that newspaper, which has
always been Democratic in the past, but
which Is now supporting Landon. the
Republican nominee for President, give<
its front page to asking Roosevelt on
his arrival in Omaha Saturday whether
he subscribed to the Farmer-Labor party
principles. The Omaha World Herald.
however, took the position that the Presi-
dent was a guest of the city and should
not be heckled on his arrival there.
The Farmer-Labor party's platform in
1884 in its preamble stated: 1--WE declare
that capitalism has failed and immediate
steps must be taken to abolish capitalism
and substitute a system where all natural
resources, machinery Of production,
transportation and communication shall
be owned and operated by the Govern
ment in a cooperative commonwealth"
The platform demanded the public
ownership of all mines, water power,
transportation and communication,
banks, packing plants. factories and all
public utilities except bona fide CO.
operatives. There has been nothing to
indicate that the Farmer-Labor party has
rescinded any Of these objectives. The
clear Endorsement of the President OF
the Farmer-Labor candidates for Gov
ernor and Senator is interpreted in many
quarters as meaning that he is willing
to condone. If not to accept now, the
principles laid down by the Farmer
Labor party in order to win votes Tor
the Democratic national ticket.
President Roosevelt's emphatic and
wholehearted Endorsement of the can
didacy of Senator George w. Norris for
reelection in Nebraska was expected.
He shot the works despite the fact that
in the Democratic primary in Nebraska
a former member of the House, Terry
Carpenter, has the Democratic nomina-
ton for the Senate. The voters who
supported Carpenter are sore because the
administration has deserted them and
backed Norris, an independent and for
mer Republican. Carpenter, writing in
his newspaper. the Senator, published
at SCOTS Bluff, has announced:
II am In this race to stay. Certain
people still persist in spreading the
rumor that am going to step out of
the race. There Is no power on earth,
no Job great enough that can be offered,
no money in any amount, that could
make me change my mind. I am in this
race to stay, and sincerely believe that
I am going to be the next Senator from
Nebraska. The fact that mighty forces
are being put in my way does not deter
me from my purpose. We shall see what
we shall see."
Carpenters insistence that he will re-
main in the Nebraska senatorial race is
making 1t hard for Norris, for he will
take from Norris a considerable Demo-
cratic vote. Former Representative
Simmons, Republican nominee for the
Senate, expresses the utmost confidence
that In this three -cornered race he will
win. particularly in view of the split
in the Democratic vote between Norris
and Carpenter. He contends that he will
have the entire regular Republican vote
Of Nebraska, which is very considerable.
- X X
Senator Couzens of Michigan, another
Independent Republican Senator sup
porting Roosevelt for reelection, has
already been eliminated from the SEN
ate. He lost his try for denomination in
the Republican senatorial primary in
the Wolverine State. 1t would be q
bitter pill for the President to swallow
II Norris failed to be returned to the
Senate from Nebraska,
\
Out in Oregon, Senator McNary, the
Republican leader of the Senate, is cam
paigning for reelection. The Roosevelt
chances for victory in that State are
considered exceedingly bright, as in other