The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-08-18

old Age Revolving Pensions, Ltd Dr. Clinton Wunder, New York ors gRniEer, J. D. Klefcr Central States organizer, Vice-Presldent oomeE Smith, of Oklahoma, and some lesser figures have been expelled since last months convention, Much of the trouble In oarp's leadership is traced Co tho Rev. Gerald l., K Smith, former Louisiana preacher who seeksc to succeed Huey ?, Long ag leader of share.our- wealth,
 The doctor and Smith are part. ners now in public appearances and it is observed that most of the townsend club lleutenants who op. posed Smiths ascendancy have been heposed. Smith is m eloquent anti- Roosevelt speaker but 1t is suspected by many observers that he has no organized following whatsoever.
 Lemke Claims Plenty
 With Father Coughlin, pr. Town send and the Rev. Smith behind him, Lemke now claims l3 states and the priest adds i4th, Okla homa. It IS notnbl ethat Father Coughlin claims Oklahoma on be- half of the farmers union and that union party leaders publicly assert that important farm organization will go for Lemkc this year, The i4 states claimed by the priest and Lemke will cast i76 votes In the electoral college and few political observers believe Lemke can come even close to carrying all Of them But in all or many he might easily cut into the vote which otherwise would go to Mir. Roosevelt and en- able Coy. Landon to carry states which he might not otherwise. The i4 states are: Ohio, Michigan, Illi- nois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, California, oregon, Massachusetts, Maine, Rhode Island and Okla homa. The last formidable minor ity party movement was led by Robert M. LaFollette, Sr, in 1924. He carried Wisconsin and the city of Cleveland, but the rest of Ohio went against him. Tn that campaign LaFollette boiled 4,822,8C0 votes.
 Dlsgruntled Democrats
 Coincldent with the Townsend and Coughlin mass movement away from Mir. Roosevelt is the walk out of conservative democrats led by Alfred r. Smith. A trump confer ence Of Jeffersonian democrats as. sembled in Detroit Aug. 2, without Smith, but under leadership of former Sch. James A. Reed of Mis- souri, to war on the Roosevelt ad- ministration.
 Smith and the Jeffersonians stop- ped short of formally endorsing Gov. Landon but the practical ef- feet of their conference and all sub- sequent activities will be to aid hts candidacy.
 Whatever the American Liberty league influence may be, 1t is agains the democratic administra- ton. Gov. Eugene Talmadge 0i Georgia is leading a forlorn battle against MT. Roosevelt in the deer south although his grass roots con- vention last winter failed to dis. cover any practicable method oi taking those states away from the administration this year.
 Labor, Progresslves
 Favorable to MT. Roosevelt is tho obvious trend of labor toward hin and the endorsement he received from John L. Lewis, United Mint Workers of America convention. HG has won some potent socialist lead CTS away from Norman Thomas, so' cialist candidate.
 And there is one more politica conference to come--the progressive conference which will convene nex month in Washington or Chicago The progressives are sponsored by numerous leaders including the La Toilette brothers of Wisconsin anC Floyd B. Olson, farmer-labor gover' nor of Minnesota. The principa conference business will be to de- eide whether to support the Roose' velt- Garner ticket and the outlooI is that the progressives will decide to do so.
 But the anti Roosevelt roll call il long and growing. Townsendit' leaders estimate that 90 per cent o their members voted for MT. Roose' welt in 1882 and that he will hav' far less than a majority this time Father Coughlin was one of thu most active of Roosevelt supporter