Evening star., 1936-11-05
THE POLITICAL
MILL
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

Ss 81
1t carried only two States in the presi-
DENTAL election-Vermont and Maine.
1t had its already slender minorities in
the House and Senate. still further re-
duced until 1t will have only II or Is
members Of the Upper House and prob
ably around 80 In the Lower. Repub.
lican Governors of States have been sue
ceeded by Democrats in Michigan, Del.
aware and Kansas, leaving only a few
Republican Governors extant. And yet
the party polled probably Is or II mil
lion votes the country over, when all the
returns are in. A great amount of in
terest in the G. o. P. was stirred during
the campaign among the younger voters.
The Republican national organization
still remains, with Chairman John Ham,
ilton of Kansas at its head. When the
forts will be made to bind up the wounds
and reform the lines for future elections.
Much will depend upon the success Of
the Democratic administration and its
program for the future. New issues are
made overnight frequently in this coun-
try. Such issues might breathe life and
renewed strength into the G. o. p. At
present, 1t appears from the election, the
American people are overwhelmingly on
the liberal side. The conservatives are
struggling for footing. The mass Of
conservative arguments and issues de-
veloped by the Republican candidates
during the recent campaign proved en-
tirely ineffective. If the liberals are sue.
cessful in their conduct of the Govern
ment: II conditions continue to improve
and there is no grave dislocation of busi-
ness and jobs increase, the chances for
the conservative element, or for the Re-
publican party. which has come to be
catalogued conservative, are not bright.
It does not seem probable that the
United States is to become one-party
country. And yet the Democratic party
by force of numbers and victory at the
polls has come nearer to bringing about
such a condition than at any time in the
past. The Democratic party as it is now
constituted has under its wing many
differing elements and there is a ques-
tion how long they will continue to ride
along together. Already there is a
threat in the air that many of the voters
who enlisted in the Democratic party
Ava VIC IdhlPol6h JuoI SaOoCo d2C 1lACly
to bolt four years hence, unless, indeed,
they are able to assume control of the
Democratic party. They are the follow
ers OF John L. Lewis, president of the
United Mine Workers: Sidney Hillman.
David Dubinsky and others.
The ground was laid during the last
few months for the organization of a
Labor party. =, 1t actually was formed in
the great State of New York and candi-
dates were put into the field. In order
to aid in the election Of President Roose-
welt. the American Labor party in New
York picked the same presidential cleo
tors as those named by the Democratic
party. But what Is to happen in 1910?
Will the members of the new Labor
party be willing to 60 along again with
the Democratic presidential nominee?
There Is no assurance that they will
do so.
The La Toilette Progressives in Wis
consin and the Farmer Labor party IN
Minnesota both played along with Presi-
dent Roosevelt in this campaign, believ-
ing that 1t was necessary to prevent the
election of Gov. ALI M. Landon of Kan.
sas, whom they dubbed a reactionary.
These minority parties have more in
common with the new Labor party than
they have with many of the members
of the Democratic party. They, too,
have indicated that within the next four
years they will seek the creation of q
new liberal party. What is to become of
the more conservative Democrats-the
great Democratic vote Of the South, for
example-if such tactics are followed by
many Of these who fought under the New
Deal banner this year? How far are
these conservative Democrats willing to
60 along the path the new Labor
party, the Wisconsin ProgreSSives and
the Farmer-Labor party have in mind?
Not all the efforts of Al Smith, John
w. Davis, James A. Reed and other
conservative Democrats were able to per-
suade them to leave Roosevelt this year
For years there has been q demand in
many quarters for the division in this
country along liberal and conservative
lines, with strictly liberal and conserva-
tive parties. One Of the main stum-
bling blocks has been the adherence of the
States of the South to the Democratic
party. Conservatives and liberals alike
insist, In that section, upon remaining
Democrats. There has been, too, the
fact that the great mass Of farm owners
are inclined to be conservative, no mat
ter in what part Of the country they are
found. The Roosevelt farm program,
with its Government checks for comply
ing with that program, has done much to
keep the farmers in line for the New
Deal. You have only to look at Tues
days election results in Kansas, Iowa
and Nebraska to understand that.
Not all Of the radicals in the country
moved under the Roosevelt banner.
There were the Coughlinites, for exam.
Lemke did not prove to be Of large pro.
portions. That vote doubtless would
have been larger had Lemke been able
to get on the ballot in New York, Cali
fornia and several other States where
he was denied that right. But take 1t
by and large, the great mass Of liberals
Joined with Roosevelt in this election.
The Democratic party has become their
party, ut least for the time being. There
was Q split, even among the Socialists,
and many Of them turned In for Roose-
welt instead of for Norman Thomas, the
Socialist party nominee.
+ X ~
Who is to head the Republican party?
Landon, as the party's most recent
choice for President, is the titular leader.
He is out of public ONCE. Whether he
will wish to continue actively in politics
now Is still q matter to be determined.
Had Bricker, the Republican candidate
for Governor of Ohio, been successful.