Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1936-07-02
All Set for
Big Race

All Ser f0r elephant and the
Big Race donkey have their
jockeys for the cam
paign. The tumult and the shouting
and the blistering, whitening fire OF
politics, have begun.
1t is long way to the finish line
where the checkered flag falls for the
winner of the race. But the big fight
is really on and it is interesting as
well as significant to note how it
has started.
1t is always sure sign that party
leaders respect and fear their oppo-
nents when they start a campaign
with declaration that the enemy is
weak; that his selection resulted from
chicanery or bossism, or that the par
ticular candidate selected has been
put up as a sacrifice. That is what
has happened already in the current
campaign, and you can expect it to
continue because it is stating no Sc
cret to disclose that the New Dealers
fear Gov. ALT M. Landon of Kansas,
the Republican nominee, and that the
Republican leadership, beneath the
surface, are wishing for a clairvoyant
or crystal gazer to tell them how
much of a chance they have to
beat President-candidate Franklin d.
Roosevelt.
Of course, no astute political OBJ
server would dare predict at this
stage of the game who the winner
will be. On the other hand, it is
part of the psychology of the game Of
politics for politicians to claim every
thing in sight. Yet, know that each
side expects a real battle, a horse
race. The November result is pretty
likely to be determined by events Of
the next two months. At the end Of
that time, trends will be evident and
some appraisal Of the campaign will
be possible. In the interim, claims
and high sounding phrases will be Of
fered by the basketful and enthusiasm
will be promoted. Yet, the end, the
result, will not begin to be evident
until afterward because this Is the
season for the tumult and shouting.
I cannot concur in the claims al
ready advanced by Postmaster Cen
chairman Farley that the cleo
ton is in the bag for Mr.. Roosevelt
any more than 1 can believe that
Chairman John Hamilton Of the Re-
publicans is equipped with special
foresight enabling him to say that
Governor Landon is a sure winner.
1 said above that the campaign has
all of the appearance of a horse race
and a close one. To that extent it is
condition much more favorable to
the Republicans than obtained three
months ago when, as recall, sug-
gested that if the election were held
at that time, Mr.. Roosevelt had CO.
40 advantage over anybody the Repub-
licans could name. To say now, there
fore, that the race probably will be
close necessarily indicates two things |:
unification Of Republican strength, and
some mistakes by the Democratic lead
ership Zone may properly inquire
what has brought about the unif1ca-
ton Of the Republicans). The answer
seems rather obvious. 1t is that the
Republican party has been reorgan-
lied from tip to toe. The reorganiza-
ton has been more sweeping and more
effective and the result much more
satisfactory to the country than most
political observers had any reason to
expect. I say satisfactory to the
country" because the Republican party
Is a major political unit and, though
at present minority party, will come
back to power some time. The Demo-
Gratis have been minority party, and
the course of human events has wit
messed 1t restored to power. So the
people have stake in either party,
and whichever one proceeds to i'm
prove its political structure is giving
something Of vital value to the coun-
try as a whole.
The Democratic attack on the Re-
pubiicans for the last sixteen years
has been concen-
u. y. r. trated to large ex-
Cleans House tent on the charge
that the Republic
ans were boss-controlled. Chairman
Farley has continually harped on that
alleged condition. When the Repub-
licans did their house cleaning job at
Cleveland, they took away an impOr-
tant issue from the Democrats, but
even so some Of the Democrats and
some independents, like Senator George
Norris of Nebraska, refused to ac-
cept the purging as genuine.
Senator Norris disclosed his atti-
tude very definitely the other day
when he broadcast a radio speech. He
employed the time-worn allegation
that the Cleveland convention was
dominated by special interests" and
that the platform adopted there was
plainly reactionary."
Senator Norris has not supported
Republican candidate for IL years, al
though he ran for reelection six years
ago as a Republican. He believes in
Mr.. Roosevelt and insists that Mr..
Roosevelt alone can save the country.
It is to be assumed also that Mr..
Roosevelt will have the support Of the
LaFollettes, Senator Bob and Gov
ernor Phil, in Wisconsin. These men,