Evening star., 1936-01-06
THE POLITICAL
MILL
BY G.. Could Lincoln.

space of five days. at the Jackson day
dinner to be given at the Mayhower
Hotel His address the Democrats be-
lieve, will follow up IN smashing style
the speech which he made to Congress
and the Nation last Friday night. In
fact, he is expected to handle the Repub-
hcans ana his critics without gloves.
$x \ \
Thursday, the following day, the Dem
I ocratic National Committee will hold a
meeting at the willard Hotel at 10 am.
The meeting has been called by Chair
man James M Farley for the purpose Of
picking the time and place for the
Democratic National Convention. Two
cities, Chicago and Philadelphia, seem
to be in the lead for the convention city.
Senator Joseph F. Guffey OF PennSyl-
var,ia, the present acknowledged Demo-
cratic leader Of the Keystone State, Is
confident that the convention will 60
to Philadelphia. He says that repre-
sentatives of the city will be on hand
with the necessary money pledge for the
expenses of the national convention. In
some quarters 1t has been insisted that
President Roosevelt himself has signihed
his preference for the City OF Brotherly
Love for his second nomination by the
Democratic party. So far, however. TINS
has not been confirmed by the Whlte
House The theory back of the plan to
take the convention to Philadelphia Is
that there is chance to carry the state
of Pennsylvania for Roosevelt IN Novem-
Der; that it is well to put on the Demo-
cratic National Convention in part OF
the country-the East-where most OF
the criticism of the Roosevelt New Deal
has arisen in recent months.
The Republicans, having chosen June
@ for their national convention in Cleve-
land. it is probable that the Democrats
will meet at a later date. With the
Democratic national ticket to all intents
and purposes already selected-Rooseveit
and Garner-there seems little for the
convention to do beyond ratifying the
selection. 1t will write platform, now
ever, on which the candidates are 70 run
How will it compare to the platform
pledges Of the Democratic national plat
form of 1882?
If the theme of the Presidents annual
message to the Congress is correct, the
Democratic plan Of campaign will be TO
arouse the great mass OF the people
against big business and industry-whlch
the President charges with seeking to
seize the control of Government and to
establish an "autocracy" in this country.
The President continues to insist that his
opponents are confined to this minority
group-plus those Republicans who are
actuated only by desire for ONCE. OF
course, that is what the President and
the Democrats generally hope. Whether
they really believe it is another thing!
They are going to do their best to bring
about such situation, however.
Some of the comment upon the PreSi-
dents annual message to Congress deals
with this very thing. And some OF the
comment in Democratic newspapers
warns the President and his campaign
managers that they may be mistaken
when they say that the critics OF the
New Deal are only to be found in this
minority. The Boston Post, for example,
frankly suggests that the President may
be sadly mistaken in this estimate OF
the situation which exists in the country
today.
The gathering of the Democratic
national committeeman and committee
women is the first that has taken place
| for a long time. They will bring with
them reports of the political situation
in the 48 States of the Union. 1t has
been suggested that Postmaster General
Farley will take the occasion Of the
| meeting of the committee to hand In
his resignation from the cabinet, SO as
| to give his entire time to the conduct
! of the campaign for the reelection OF
j the President. If he is to do this, he
has not yet indicated it publicly. Sooner
| or later Mr.. Farley is expected to give
| over his cabinet post to be free to
enter the campaign, first for delegates
to the Democratic National Convention,
and second for the general election in
November. For nearly three years now
there have been reports that Mr.. Farley
would either leave sthe cabinet or the
| chairmanship of the Democratic Ma
tional Committee. He still, however, re-
tains both offices. If he steps out of the
cabinet, it will mean the first break in
that body since the retirement OF the
late William H. Woodin, Secretary Of the
| Treasury. Gossip has had it that the
President may call again upon his
| friend, Frank j. Walker. who has been
| in and out of the administration a
number of times, to take on the job OF
| Postmaster General.
Once the President has been re-
elected, there will be no particular reason
why Mr.. Farley should not be returned
to the cabinet. 1t has been said that
Farley is ambitious to become Governor
of New York. Perhaps cabinet Office
may be a better springboard for the
| governorship than the mere chairman
ship of the Democratic National Com
mittee. But all this, of course. is pred
icated on the supposition that Presi-
dent Roosevelt will be reelected. +
** Il 4
While the Democrats are considering
| the advisability of taking their national
convention to Philadelphia, former Gov.
Pinchot of Pennsylvania writes another
letter to President Roosevelt, charging
that relief money Is being used in that
State for political purposes. With ma
tional campaign coming on, lot is likely
| to depend upon the extent to which the
| expenditure of Government money for
relief may or may not enter into politics.
| Mr.. Pinchot, in this second letter to the
| President, dealing with the situation in
Pennsylvania, becomes explicit. In fact,
| he is prepared to give specific cases to
prove his. point that the Democratic
machine in the State is compelling those
who have Works Progress Administra-
| ton jobs-work relief-to be Democrats.
Gov. Pinchot says in conclusion to the
| President:
"Nothinp can relieve YOU of your duty,