Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-03-19
THE POLITICAL
MILL

Republican leaders. sizing UP the stu
alton which confronts them, admit that
their job will be to defeat Democratic
President who has been built up through
out the country as superhumanitarian
Some of them insist that the President Is
a superpolitician, but that does not give
them any particular comfort. They realize,
too, that the President will have the back
ing of organized labor very generally
that the United Mine Workers of Amer
lea. headed by John L. Lewis, already has
declared for the reelection of the Presi-
dent. In addition, business seems to be
picking up in many parts of the coun-
try. Added to these important condi-
tons affecting the coming campaign is
the fact that the administration Is
spending huge sums of money for relief
and huge sums Of money for farmers
benefits, and before long it will be pour
ing out millions and millions OF dollars
to the World War veterans in return for
their bonus certificates. All the various
Government agents throughout the
country are potential workers for the re-
election of President Roosevelt, and their
numbers are legion.
- ~
Now almost any Republican who is
not just carried away with party enthu-
siaSm or dislike of the Roosevelt New
Deal will admit that the task of beating
the President under all these conditions
is colossal. And yet optimism is on the
increase at Republican headquarters
both here and in Chicago All reports are
to the effect that workers are increas-
ing rapidly and that funds for the cam
paign are rolling in. Chairman Fletchers
proposal that million dollars be raised
for the G. o. P. war chest through one
dollar contributions from a million citi-
zens has struck immediate response.
Letters already are being received at
party headquarters throughout the coun-
| try in large numbers, praising this plan,
and many of them containing contri-
| buttons, although the machinery for the
million-dollar drive is not yet set up.
That will be done as soon as possible.
| Also. the Republicans do not view the
| relief funds being expended by the adj
miniStration as entirely an asset for the
reelection of President Roosevelt. More
| and more publicity is being given to
| charges that these funds are being ex
| pended in many cases politically" A
score of affdavits are on file today at
the Republican headquarters here from
| persons in Pennsylvania charging that
the w. P. A. jobs are being handed out
| for political favors-that w. p. A. jobs
are given or taken away according to
| the promises made to vote the Demo-
cratic ticket in Pennsylvania next No.
vember. The picture is not pretty one
| 1t is planned to put these affidavits out
| for publication in the newspapers from
time to time so that the picture of po-
litical corruption, sought to be estab-
lished by the Republicans, may be seen.
! Their hope is that the Senate committee
| for the investigation of campaign ex-
penditures will be compelled, sooner or
later. to turn the spotlight on the use
| of relief funds for political purposes.
That, they say. should give the voters a
pain in the neck.
| The big issue, from the Republican
point of view. which must be built up
against the Roosevelt New Deal and
| against Roosevelt, the Humanitarian is
the cost to the ordinary people of the
New Deal. If the people can be made
to realize that all of this New Deal spend
| ing is coming out of their own pockets,
| and coming soon and in a way that will
|
| real hope of defeating the President for
reelection. 1t is not the rich upon whom
the burden will fall to the heaviest de-
gree, but upon the man of moderate
means and upon the poor. No one
expects that the administration will take
out of the people in so-called direct
taxes, like the income tax the huge
sums needed to pay the Government S
debts. The taxes will be indirect. But
they will be none the less heavy. A great
deal will depend upon how successful the
Republicans are in spreading this doc
trine Former President Hoover has at
tempted it, and has done pretty good
| job at it. In fact, the effect of his
speeches has been so marked as to
| bring indignant outbursts from POST
| master General James A. Farley. chair
man of the Democratic National Com
mittee. and Senator Robinson, Demo-
cratic leader of the Senate. They both
| insist that Mr. Hoover is trying to
frighten the American people and to cause
them to lose confidence in their Govern
ment when that Government is doing
great service. 1t all depends on the point
of view.
John Hamilton. new head of the Lam
don drive for the Republican presidential
nomination, will continue to make his
headquarters in Washington, it is said.
| Mr.. Hamilton has been acting as assist
ant to Chairman Fletcher of the Repub-
lican National Committee at the ma
tional headquarters. He has merely moved
to another location, now that Hamilton
has taken on the job of nominating
Gov. Landon of Kansas for President.
Hamilton is expected to travel to vari-
Gus parts of the country in the interest
of Landons candidacy. But his opera
tons will be undertaken with Washing
ton as a base. The Landon drive has
been pretty we'll organized in States of
the West and Middle West. 1t looks as
though it was going to be the particular
Job of Hamilton to line up the delega-
tons from the populous States of the
East and the North, and he may have
look at some of the delegations from
the States of the South.
| y II
Republicans in Pennsylvania scout the
claims of Senator Guffey, Democratic
boss, that the Keystone State will go for
Roosevelt next November. They believe
they have the State well in hand, despite
the support which Roosevelt is expected
| tn get from the United Mine Workers