Evening star., 1936-08-17
THE POLITICAL
MILL
BY G. COULD LINCOLN.


the presidential candidacy of Repre-
sentative William Lemke of North
Dakota, only single voice was raised in
dissent. John O'Donnell, an alternate
delegate to the convention from Pitts
burgh, voted mo" The vote, however,
stood 8,153 to l for the Lemke indorse-
ment. ODonnell was described as lone
OF Jim Farley's stooges" by fellow dele
gate from Pittsburgh.
The Lemke ticket is recognized as
threat to the reelection of President
Roosevelt. The leaders of the new Union
party have no use for Gov. Lar1don of
Kansas and the Republican party. But
if they consider Landon colorless and
the G.. .. p. a back number, what they
feel about Roosevelt and the New Deal
party is something much more violent.
They seem to be out to "get" President
Roosevelt whatever else may happen.
X
Any national convention which mus
ters more than 5000 delegates makes a
noise. In the case of the convention of
the National Union for Social Justice,
the 5000 delegates represent very con-
siderable number of voters. If the dele
gates and the rank and file stick to
bCAhhC III Tile 4NONCAlDCI clcCLlOlIt bIlc
third party may decide the outcome in
a number of States.
The promise now made by President
Roosevelt and his financial advisers not
to seek any new and additional taxes in
the Congress which assemblies next jan
uary Is regarded in many quarters as
political gesture pure and simple.
Unless the Roosevelt spending program is
Lev A1;I
there must be more taxes levied or
another deficit running into the billions
OF dollars is in prospect. IF there is to
be heavy curtailment OF expenditures
1t will mean a great reduction in spend
ing for relief, for all kinds of Govern
ment projects which have been initiated
under the New Deal regime, and perhaps
reduction in the millions of dollars
handed out to the farmers. 1t may be
that the President will undertake to
cut down relief and other expenditures
by the Government. If that is what
he means to do. to prevent increases
in taxation, he is saying nothing about
It now. Indeed until after election day.
the Democratic promises for continued
relief expenditures will be made with
vehemence. For the New Dealers are
telling the people that If the Republicans
come into power, then the relief ex-
penditures will be stopped.
**
II the Government spending continues
as at present and the taxes are not
revised upward the public debt will con-
tinue to mount. It is likely that with
improved business conditions. the reve-
nues of the Government under existing
taxes will increase But the increase
cannot by the widest flight of imagina-
ton be sufficient to Offset the heavy
Government spending, despite the fact
that the President and his advisers insist
such will be the case. Government spend
ing has been going along at a rate of
above 50 for 81 of revenue. 1t is idle to
say That the improved business condi-
tionS will double the amount of revenue
However, the gesture made by the
President and Secretary Morgenthau,
aided and abetted by Senator Pat Harri-
son. chairman of the Finance Commit
tee, and Representative Doughton of
North Carolina, chairman of the Ways
and Means Committee, was we'll timed.
1t was intended TO take the wind out of
the sails of the Republicans who are
already campaigning on the taxation
issue. How many OF the people 1t will
convince remains to be seen. The RooSe-
velt administration has not been sig
nally successful in keeping its promises
with regard to Government finances up
to date.
The President already is on the stump,
travelling into the drought and flood
areas of the country. Administration
spokesman insist that these trips of the
President are non-political. But the
administration goes right ahead prom
Using millions for relief of these areas.
That may not be politics, but it makes
for votes, whether the President intends
it or not. This is early for a presidential
candidate to be stirring himself and
travelling about the country. 1t looks
as though the Roosevelt leaders are in
tent upon getting in the first licks. If
they can, instead of waiting for the
Landon invasion.
The Republican presidential candidate
will make his first visit-aS a candidate
to the East within few days. To most
of the voters of the East Landon is still
something of mystery. Few of them
have ever seen Gov. Landon. Gov. Lam
don probably will make many friends
on his travels. He is a friendly man.
Furthermore, he has plenty of personal
magnetism. People like him when they
see him and hear him. His swing into
the East will be watched with very great
interest. He goes first into Pennsylvania
and then New York, two of the great
pivotal States in presidential election.
Landon will make three main speeches
on this trip East, but will make more
than dozen rear platform appear
ances-brief speeches, in all probability.
He will make stops in Illinois and Mis-
souri,, as well as in the Eastern States.
How this trip works out may have con-
siderable effect upon the future cam
paign plans of the Kansas Governor. If
the candidate goes over well on the trip.
undoubtedly there will be more and more
such expeditions As the campaign pro-
crosses. The Republicans have come to
possess great deal of confidence in their
presidential nominee. They believe he
will fit we'll into the picture and that
the more the people see him, the better
they will like him.
Gradually the stage is being set in
Massachusetts for the final showdown
next November. There is a tremendous
amount of interest in the candidacy of
Gov. James M. Curley for the Democratic
nomination for the Senate, and subse-
quently, for the Senate seat now occupied