Evening star., 1936-02-14
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Member NJ the Associated Press.
Party Lines.

Republican Senator Vandenberg OF
Michigan, one of the probable presiden-
tial possibilities. extends the hand OF
welcome to "Jeffersonian Democrats"
He goes further and says that he would
welcome Jeffersonian Democrats lin
the council chamber after next Novem-
ber's victory is won." In plain English,
the Michigan Senator, if elected Presi-
dent, would invite some of these Demo-
Gratis to sit in the cabinet, or if another
Republican were chosen Chief Executive
Vandenberg would have him, too, name
Democrats to cabinet office. Chairman
Henry P. Fletcher of the Republican Ma
tional Committee, denying that any such
plan had been formally or definitely dis
cussed, admits that it ought to be pos
sible to find some good Democrats to
place in the cabinet.
The olive branch held out to the DEM
ocrats by Republican leaders is in recog-
milton of real detection in Democratic
ranks against the Roosevelt administra-
ton and policies. That this detection is
very real, who will deny? When two
former Democratic nominees for Presi-
dent denounce the administration, as do
Al Smith and John W. Davis; when
Eugene Talmadge, Democratic Governor
of a dyed-in-the-wool Democratic State,
travels up and down the land campaign
ing for the defeat of Franklin D. Roose-
welt, it appears that there must be a real
revolt. With so much smoke there must
be some fire. Former Chief Justice Pat
tengall of Maine, for years the leading
Democrat of that State, insists there is
only one course for real Democrats to
pursue this year-to vote the Republican
ticket and smash the administration
which has betrayed the ideals of the
Democratic party. "It is the only agency
by means of which it is possible to de-
feat the New Deal" he says.
The appeal made by Republicans to
the anti-Roosevelt Democrats for CO.
operation in the coming campaign is,
after all, no more than the appeal
made by President Roosevelt and his
followers to insurgent Republicans, both
in the past and at present. The
NorriSeS, the IckeSeS and the Wallaces
offset for the Democrats the defec-
tions of the Smiths, the Davises and
the Talmadges.
The fact of the matter is that while
the depression in 1882 caused smash
ing of Republican party lines, the
Roosevelt New Deal in 1886 has caused
a huge breach in Democratic ranks.
Party lines in the coming election prom
Use to be disregarded to greater extent
than for many years.
The Vandenberg suggestion that
Democrats should be welcomed into the
cabinet of Republican President after
he shall be elected is no more than
President Roosevelt has already done
in the matter of appointing disgruntled
Republicans to his cabinet-with Ickes
and Wallace sitting about the board
A striking political phenomenon of
today is the manner in which the Demo-
cratic party, as represented by President
Roosevelt, has thrown off its Older
mantle of States rights, of opposition
to a strong centralized Government in
Washington, of less Government, and
has become the champion of a Federal
Government with powers of which its
founders never dreamed. Equally
strange, perhaps, is the position in which
the Republican party finds itself, the
defender of States rights, the oppo-
nent of more strongly centralized Gov
ernment. The maintenance of party
lines under such circumstances becomes
q hazardous job for any political cam
paign manager.