Evening star., 1936-05-01
The Ohio Primary.

OI1lO 3 pTlHlhTy ChHpdlBH 10 WhIHllhe
up. The regular Republican orgsniza-
ton is violently opposed to the candidacy
OF Senator William E. Borah of Idaho
for the presidential nomination. 1t has
put into the field favorite son candi-
date, Robert A. Taft, in order to hold
the Ohio delegation In line. since 1t
could not persuade Gov. Landon of
Kansas or Col. Knox of Illinois to enter
the primary against the Idaho Senator.
Mr.. Taft's candidacy is not serious,
except that it is used to hold the Ohio
delegation against Borah. and to permit
the delegation to go to Cleveland prac-
tically "uninstructed." Probably Mr..
Taft himself would have no slightest
hesitancy in admitting that such is
the case.
Senator Borah in Columbus last night
issued a challenge to Mr.. Taft to say
whether he believed the Wagner-Costi-
gan anti-lynching bill constitutional Mr..
Taft is a lawyer of distinction. He is
the son of the late Chief Justice of the
United States. His answer to Senator
Borah's question will be heard with in
terest. Senator Borah has aroused the
enmity of many of the colored voters
by declaring-months ago-that he con-
sidered the anti-lynching bill in viola
ton of the Constitution, since 1t pro-
posed to have the Federal Government
enter the States, have powers and per-
form functions reserved to the States.
No one will believe that the Idaho Sen.
ator has anything but the deepest dis
taste for and hatred of lynch law. He
has proved himself many times a friend
of the Negro. Yet his attitude on the
anti-lynching bill is being used by his
opponents to swing thousands Of colored
voters into line against him in Ohio
and elsewhere.
Either Mr.. Taft will agree or disagree,
it is presumed, with Senator Borah re.
garding the constitutionahty Of the
Wagner-Costigan anti-lynching bill. If
Borahs attitude on the snti-lynching
bill were not being used to drum up votes
against him in support of Mr.. Taft,
there would be no cause for dragging
it into the Ohio primary.
The issue which Senator Borah raises
against Mr.. Taft is that he is being used
by the political bosses of the Republican
party to prevent the voters from giving
their real opinion regarding presidential
candidates; that he is, in effect. helping
to send a delegation to the Republican
National Convention which may be used
as the leaders see at at the proper time.
This may be entirely unfair to Mr.. Taft.
He must believe that. in the best in
terest of the Republican party, the dele
gates to the convention should be
allowed to decide which is the strongest
and most available of the candidates
for the presidential nomination. That.
indeed, is the attitude Of many Repub-
licans. 1t Is, however, opposed to the
belief of Mr. BorAh, who holds the voters
themselves should have a direct voice
in the selection of the party standard
bearer.
On the Democratic side of the primary
fence President Roosevelt is entered and
against him Colonel Henry Breckenridge.
Breckinridge is the rallying post of
anti-Roosevelt Democrats. He rolled up
a surprising vote in the Pennsylvania
primary. He is entered in the Maryland
and New Jersey primaries against the
President. Breckenridge, in fact, is the
fly in the ointment for the Roosevelt
Democrats. without organization. with.
out any hold on the electorate, Breck-
inridge stands merely for the anti
Roosevelt sentiment in the Democratic
party. If he does we'll in Maryland and
ohio-which means obtaining a small
vote compared to that for Roosevelt, but
nevertheless a vote that runs into the
thousands. as he did in Pennsylvania
the Roosevelt high command may have
to consider the defections seriously.