Evening star., 1936-04-02
DEMOCRATIC FIGHT.
CENTERS ON BURKE.
Nebraska Split Widens as
Senator Shows Spirit.
Norris Is Enigma.
BY JAY G. HAYDEN.

OMAHA. Nebr., April q (N.A.NA).-
A bitter division in the Democratic
ranks, which. regardless of its out
come, is likely to weaken President
Roosevelt here in November. and the
perennial question as to what Senator
Norris is going to do are the present
disturbing factors in Nebraska politics.
The Republicans also were threat
ened with a row when petitions were
circulated to place both Senator Borah
and Gov. Landon is the presidential
preference primary, to be held on
April II. At the last minute, how
ever, Landon backed away from this
direct clash with Borah.
So far as delegate strength is con-
eerned, Landon has decided edge. A
full slate of IA candidates for delegate
are pledged to Landon and 8 OF
these are unopposed. The Landon
managers assert they will certainly
have 10. probably II and possibly a
solid delegation.
Principle Often Flouted.
In principle the delegates are sup
posed to support the winner Of the
presidential preference vote. There is
precedent for failing to do SO, however,
as instance the spectacular bolt by
William Jennings Bryan from his
primary commitment to Champ Clark
in 1912. The Landonites now contend
that since only one candidate Is en-
tered there obviously can be no popular
expression of preference and they de-
clare that their delegates will COM
pletely ignore this phase of the elec-
tion. If there are votes in the dele
cation other than for Landon they
are more likely to 60 to Frank Knox
than to Borah.
Landon unquestionably has the Old
Guard organization in this State be-
hind him. The candidates for dele
gate at large pledged to him are Lyle
E. jackson, chairman of the Republi-
can State Central Committee; Mrs.
Viola J. Cameron. Republican national
committeewoman; Samuel r. Nickel
vie former governor and member of
President Hoover's Farm Board. and
Samuel w. Reynolds, a wealthy
Omaha coal dealer.
Interest in the Republican contest
Is largely submerged by the Democratic
row, which centers chiefly around the
personality of Senator Burke.
Change OF Front Seen.
In his race for the Senate against
Charles w. Bryan in 1884, Burke gen.
orally was regarded as the Roosevelt
candidate, but in his votes since he ar
rived in Washington he has been any,
thing but New Dealer. He Joined
In the attempt to reduce the $780,
100000 relief appropriation as one of
his first acts in the Senate, and since
then has opposed the utility holding
company bill, the Presidents tax plans
and, last and most important, so far
as Nebraska is concerned, the farm
bill which replaced the A. A. A.
Burke was bitterly criticized for
these actions, but his Senate term does
not end until 1941 and there was no
need for him to submit himself to the
voters at this time He refused, how
ever, to have it that way. Against the
advice Of all of his friends here and in
Washington. he announced his candi-
dacy for membership in the Demo-
cratic National Committee with the
assertion that there was nothing he
would like better than to submit his
record to the voters. He is coming
here Friday to fight it out.
Arrayed against Burke are former
Congressman Daniel Stephens of FIRE.
mont, an old-time Bryanite, and Terry
Carpenter of SCOTS Bluff, one of the
States best rabble-rousers, who is
running for both national committee
man and United States Senator, with
the Townsend plan a main plank in
his platform.
Opposed Bonus Payment.
Adding spice to the situation is the
fact that Burke was one Of the very
small group of Senate Democrats
u'ho voted against immediate payment
Of the soldiers bonus.
The conservative-radical division in
the Democratic party in Nebraska is
nothing new. It has existed since the
time Of the elder Bryan, with first
one group and then the other in the
sscendency. For many years the con-
servative leaders were the late Sen
ator Gilbert o. Hitchcock and Arthur
Mullen.
Mullen resigned as national commit