Evening star., 1936-02-05

The United Mine Workers dynamic
president, John L. Lewis, with the solid
backing of half a million unionized coal
miners, now aSpireS to high political
power, and perhaps high political office.
This is the fairly universal interpreta-
ton of events of the U. M. w. A. con-
vention, now being staged under the
shadow of the White House. Lewis, on
the one hand, is breaking with the
American Federation of Labor and
threatening "to take a walk" accom-
panied by the largest single group within
the federation, and, on the other hand,
is plunging head first into the whirlpool
of politics casting his lot for the time
being with Roosevelt The Lewis con-
vention pledges Roosevelt reelection
support, and Lewis proposes to tap the
two-million- dollar war chest OF the
United Mine Workers to Succcr the
Roosevelt campaign war chest. Such a
direct tie-up between union of indus
trial workers and a particular political
party is nearly unprecedented. But
President Lewis is said to figure that he
has everything to gain and very little
to lose. If Roosevelt wins Lewis can
ride high, wide and handsome. If Roose-
own domain, and conspicuous rallying
post for labor with a capital L in 1910.
Most observers credit the present Lewis
United Mine Workers political plunge
primarily preliminary to new political
alignments in 1910.
Gov. Landon is now scheduled to re-
main silent until February %. On that
date Kansas sister State, Nebraska, viii
celebrate Nebraska day, and the Kansas
Coolidge will be the guest of honor, and,
according to present plans, will deliver
another Nationwide radio address. The
date and place of Gov. Landon's first
appearance on the platform in the East
is still indeterminate. 1t may not be
until April, and both Boston and New
York City are receiving consideration,
with some leaning to the New England
locale From the camps of rival aspirants
for the Republican nomination come
gentle hints that Gov. Landon, If he
really expects the nomination. owes it
to the country to air his views early and
often. Landon's friends and hackers,
on the other hand, are continuing to
counsel him to remain on his own front
porch, to limit his speechmaking and to
let the other fellows do most OF the
talking.
The appointment of Mariner s. Eccles
to the new board Of governors under the
Federal Reserve system and his designa-
tion as chairman has been foregone
conclusion since last Summer. The un-
diving opposition of Senator Carter Glass
to Eccles and the latter's monetary
views has been widely advertised and is
a fact. Upon these premises column
upon column has been written out OF
Washington for months past forecasting
a last-ditch fight by Glass to block SEN
atorial confirmation of Eccles. The fight
never materialized. The Senate last
Thursday confirmed Eccles and his col
leagues on the board in the space OF
one minute, without word except an
announcement from Republican Leader
McNary that no objection would be IN
terposed from the Republican side. The
explanation Is simply that Mr.. Roosevelt
so traded the new appointments and so
maneuvered Glass as to bring the latter
to the point where the Virginia Senator
concluded to hold his peace, rather than
to start 1aght On Eccles which hs was