The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1936-10-08

SEEN and HEARD
around the
CAPITAL
By Carter Field :

dicatiunS that Pennsylvania VIII go
Democratic as reported in recent
dispatch this writer believes Penn
sylvania's 36 electoral votes will be
found in the Landon column on cleo
ton day. This is his opinion despite
belief that if the election were
held today the Keystone state WOULD
60 for Roosevelt
One of the things on which the
Republicans are counting vel,
.eavily is a campaign of education
among the miners The point here is
tina. The Roosevelt administration is
committed SO vigorously to a pro-
gram OF developing every possible
source of hydro-electric power
which means of course, displace-
rnent of coal as source of power,
and further restricting the ever de-
creasing-as compared to popula
ltion-consumption OF coal.
Another is the fact that many
strong groups in the state, notably
the Pennsylvania Dutch, seem to be
turning slowly against the admins
tration because they do not like the
political machine James A. Farley
has built up. They have always
hated Tammany, and they are be-
ginning, so many Republican work
ers tell the writer, to fear that his
machine, on nation wide lines,
holds a worse menace than even
the old Penrose-Vare machine OF
the Republicans.
| Whereas they cannot be afraid of
anything SO impotent as the Repub-
hcan machine in Pennsylvania is
today.
Getting back to the coal miner
angle, the coal men in Pennsylvania
know more about what electrical
ton does to their pay envelopes
than do miners in some other states.
They know that the Pennsylvania
railroad, from New York to Wash
ington, is electrified. They know that
much of this power comes from the
big dams on the Susquehanna river.
Fear the Future
| 1t is true that these dams were
not built by the Roosevelt admin
istration. They were built by pri-
vate capital, long ago. But their
presence, and the displacement OF
steam on this railroad, gives them
a very clear picture of what may
happen to them. It is a condition.
not just theory.
Curiously enough, the doctrine
that the Republicans expect to
preach to them was laid down by
the very man against whom it will
be used-John l.. Lewis, head of
the miners union, and now attempt
ing to organize the steel industry.
Back in March, 1884, when Lewis
was fighting in the MIRA for code
which would do better by the mem
bers of his union, he had plenty to
say about the governments going in
to the power business. He took up
IVA and Boulder dam, the proposed
St. Lawrence seaWay and the Loup
river, Nebraska, project. In each
case he insisted that no one was
even contending that these projects
were economically sound from the
power angle. He attacked the Loup
river project rs a scheme en-
gineered by group of promoters
and pushed by man working on a
percentage fee basis.
Mr.. Lewis said in part:
my distinguished friend stated
what we all know to be true, that
oower can be generated from coal
more cheaply per K. W. H. than il
can be through the construction OF
hydro-electric plants. This is an es-
,ablished scientific fact. Yet for
whatever reason, certain branches
of the government are promoting
the construction and development
OF vast hydro-electric projects.
Certainly such policy is de-
structive of the interests of the coal
industry. Certainly it will restrict
the productive capacity of the in
dustry. Certainly it will increase
unemployment. Certainly it is not q
sound policy from our viewpoint tc
destroy permanent jobs iri America
and substitute for them only ar
equal number of temporary jobs
The coal industry is unit in think
ing it an unsound, unecononic pol
icy during period when our coun
try is struggling with the over
Whelming and almost overpowerine
question of trying to provide EN-
ployment for our wage-earning pop
ulation.'
The Republicans believe thay car
convince the miners that Lewis
woros then are still true, and thai
even the Guffey bill is hardly worth
the price.
The Maine Election
The conspiracy of secrecy which
surrounds 50 many issues in this
campaign, applies also to the voting
in Maine recently.
Actually the results should no
have been SO pleasing to the Repub
Leans, and should have been more
pleasing to the Democrats than theil
statements indicated. There were
several points perfectly known t
the management of both organiza
. tons which they are not discussing