The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1936-07-09
SEEN e
HEARD
ap6und the
NATIONAL
CAPITAL
By Carter Field !

| SGClIldu JU6cpu VOA OF 0uulC0Ote
to Roosevelt leaders to Offset the
defections caused by the boiling o.
conservative Democrats, Is not &c
significant so far as the admin
istration Notwithstanding Roose'
welt Is re-elected-are concerned
Roosevelt will continue his own
sweet way whether his mandate
to do so comes by a big majority
or is Of the Skin of his teeth
variety. He will be no more dis
turbed in his course than was
Woodrow Wilson when the expect
ed mandate OF 1918 resulted in =
popular rebuke.
What is really important Is that
Wolf, very astute observer OF
trends in the Northwest, is distinct
ly DISTURBED over the Lemke-Fa a.
Their CoughlinT Townsend third party
ticket. He is frankly afraid, and
SO told leaders OF the New Deal,
that the net result might be to
throw Minnesota to Gov. ALI M.
Landon.
Most unprecedented political OBJ
servers have been figuring for
some weeks now that South Da-
kota, Iowa and Nebraska, as well
as Kansas, were leaning Republi-
can. All of which would do Landon
no good unless he holds all the big
eastern states. But they had been
virtually unanimous in conceding
North Dakota and Minnesota. and
OF course Montana, to Roosevelt.
In short, most observers had
come to the conclusion that Landon
could be elected if-he could carry
New York and Illinois. That goes
for Indiana also, and Ohio. But
opinion has been that it the tide
for Roosevelt should turn in I'LL
nois, Indiana would be for the Kan
sas Coolidge by the same token,
while Ohio seems set to go Repub-
lican regardless OF what its neigh
bors may do.
Experts Are Wrong
Putting Minnesota in the balance
does not change the essential ele-
ments of the election battle. It keeps
it from being as one-sided as the
fight experts thought the Joe Louis
Schmeling battle was going to be.
And the political experts have
not been as wrong for 20 years
since Wilson beat Hughes in 1916
as the sporting experts were on the
big fistic battle.
And they are not going to be as
wrong as that this year, for one
very simple reason. Ever since
that election when the big eastern
newspapers were chagrined at
claiming Hughes election on the
early returns, the big eastern edi-
tors have realized that the western
states had electoral votes also. So
they have sent their own political
reporters on tours OF inquiry, so
they would know what to expect
on election night.
AS of the present moment, New
York is vital to the Republicans
lis not vital so far as the Demo-
Gratis are concerned, but would end
all doubt. The same goes for
Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio.
Indiana and Illinois.
Recent developments have
changed the situation in number
of states, notably Maryland, West
Virginia, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska,
Oklahoma, North and South Da-
kota and Minnesota. The Mormon
church action on relief has given
Utah Republican instead Of
Democratic tinge, and has moved
Idaho from the sure Ro05evelt to
the doubtful column.
The whole point is that. while a
Roosevelt landslide is still posi-
BILE, evidence now points to close
election, with Roosevelt still the
favorite, but in decided danger.
Slightly Sour Note
One slightly sour note In the
Democratic platform situation is
not being talked about-openly. 1t
concerns one Of President Roose-
velt's fundamental policies, and is
wrapped up in the tax bill just
passed by congress. The fact
that ID Democratic senators voted
against the final bill, that two more
were paired against it, and that
a twenty-frst, Sen. Marcus A.
Coolidge Of Massachusetts,, was abb
sent and impaired but is neverthe-
less against the bill, il rather in
teresting In view of the fact that
the platform endorses everything
Roosevelt stands for.
All Of which Is important be-
cause of the reasons actuating
these Il Democratic senators. The
final draft OF the tax bill means
great deal more than just
tax measure. 1t works toward
some Of the dearest detectives Of
the Roosevelt policy. II is a nat
ural sequence to his acceptance
speech at the convention four
years ago. On that occasion he
made his views about piled up
SURPRISES" OF corporations rather
clear. This tax bill, following up
the one OF last year, but going
great deal further. is in line with
that policy.
Roosevelt wants to go still fur
thor He ui1l Uo ctil1 fr,rfhor along