The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1936-12-24

insured the election of Represent
alive Sam Rayburn of Texas as
Democratic floor leader Of the house
OF representatives, thus putting him
IN line for the speakership, If and
when, would have brought storm
OF protest from the Democratic
press in most sections of the coun-
try. In the North and West, espe-
cially, there would have been talk
OF Southern domination" and
there would be bitter inquiries as
to what was the motive of the Penn
sylvania Democracy in deserving
the North and East and voting with
the South.
But now almost all the excite
ment is right under the Capitol
dome. The country doesn't care
much, it would seem, whether the
gentleman who directs the floor ac-
tivities of the overwhelming Demo-
cratic majority comes from Homo
lulu or Key West.
One way to look at it is to as
sumo that the EZRA of good feeling"
of which President Roosevelt him.
self talked so much, to friends, right
after election is here. But that
would scarcely explain the lack of
sectional feeling-that is. not al
together.
The real reason is that the av-
erage man who voted for Roosevelt,
just cannot be made to believe that
there is much interest for him in
who is Democratic floor leader. It
is always difficult to interest the
people at large in particular move
because that move later on will
mean something.
For example, when the newspa-
pers record that a man has been
elected outer doorkeeper of big
national organization, they have to
strain point and explain why this
is important that it means ten
years from now, or some such mat
ter, that the man just made outer
doorkeeper. if he lives, will be the
supreme dragons tail twister or
whatever the head of the particular
national order in question is.
Not Interested
But for that matter people never
have been very much interested in
who was nominated for Vice Presi-
dent--or indeed who is Vice Presi-
dent. It's a small minority which
manifests any real interest in these
first steps, significant though they
may be.
Which might just be tip for the
Daughters of the American Revo-
luton, if the time should ever come
when that organization would like
to keep its chickering's off the front
pages of the newspapers. BY Sc
lecting its presidents-general ten
years in advance, and calling them
by some very humble title, they will
find interest on the part OF report
ers and photographers subsiding
amazingly.
But IN the main the folks are
right in not being much interested
in who is selected as Democratic
floor leader. Until there is some
decided change in the present stu
alton nothing will make much diff
ference. Until we see how the future
line-ups in political divisions in
this country are moving there is
no way to fight very intelligently
at the moment to lay any founda-
tons.
The situation still remains that it
is almost idle to think of new line
ups until there is some cleavage in
the tremendous majority that elect
ed Mr.. Roosevelt. Until the cleavage
comes there is not much signifi-
canoe to anybody in whether Tam
many congressman or a Garner
lieutenant from Texas is on the
moving stairway leading to the
speakership of the house.
Stirs Diplomat.
Ruth Bryan Owen is responsible
for the new order that has occa-
stoned SO much turmoil in the dip
lomatic service, forbidding Ameri-
can diplomats to marry foreign
ers.
The soft pedal was put on at the
time, but when it was announced
that William Jennings Bryans
daughter was to marry not only
a foreigner. but really important
parsonage in Denmark. the country
to which she was minister, and
when no word for long time came
from her as to any intention of
resigning, there was plenty of ex-
element in the State department.
The excitement was due to lack
OF sureness as to whether the de-
partment could have its own way
in her case. Had she been a career
diplomat, it would have been sim
pie enough, but she was political
appointee, and political appointees
are not subject to the same pressure
as persons who have attained their
jobs by experience and ability.
The career diplomat holds his job,
theoretically at least, because he
is valuable. The political appointee
holds his job because he has been
valuable to a political party When
a political appointee turns out to
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