Evening star., 1936-08-06
THE POLITICAL
MILL
BY C. GOULD LINCOLN.


drought looms as a still larger potential
factor in the national elections. The In
dications are that the worlds corn crop
will be 900, 900 900 bushels short, and that
the shortage of the crop in the United
States will be in excess of 900, 900 ,OOO
bushels. Other crops are short. With
plenty Of pigs and hogs and cattle to feed
and scarcity of corn and other feed with
the prospect Of high prices for all feed
American farmers are not likely to be
very happy. And scarcity of food stuffs
has never failed to send prices higher for
the consumers What that will do the
housewives and the city people generally
is only a matter of conjecture. 1t Is not
likely to make them pleased. When the
people are displeased they usually take 1t
out on some one at the polls.
That being the case, the pouring OF re-
lief money into the drought ridden States
may not be entirely effective in the mat
ter of votes.
1t is too early to say exactly what the
political effect Of the drought will be. It
looks. however. rs though it will not be
entirely on the side OF the Roosevelt ad-
ministration. Indeed. it is likely to be
considerably the other way.
John Hamilton. the Republican ma
tional chairman. has charged that Presi-
dent Roosevelt's trip into the drought
stricken States is for political effect. The
President has replied that 1T is q very
great disservice to the proper admins
tration of any government to link up
human misery with partisan politics"
That may very well be- However, the
Democrats have counted heavily on the
erect OF relief measures of all kinds to
help them through the coming general
election.
The drive to line up organized labor for
the Roosevelt ticket continues. Meeting
in New Bedford this week the Massa
chusetts Federation of Labor voted
unanimously to abandon the non. .parti-
san political position it has maintained
for 81 years. 1t voted to support Presi-
dent Roosevelt for reelection.
Despite this action. however not all of
organized labor is for Roosevelt in this
State. For example, E. A. johnson. sec
retary OF the Boston Trades Council and
chairman OF the Resolutions Committee
at the State convention. announced that
he had not voted with the ma jority of the
Resolutions Committee which reported
the resolution indorsing President Roose-
velt
johnson is a Republican. There are
others in organized labor who in this
State will 60 along with johnson.
To return to the drought situation
The announcement made by Secretary
Wallace of the Department of Agricul-
ture and chief proponent OF the policies
developed under the A. A. A. along with
DR.. Tugwell. that 1t would probably be
necessary to import a very considerable
supply OF corn this year Is giving the
farmers more to think about.
The policies of the A. A. A have been
restrictive of crop production. Such
policies might work better If they did not
have nature to contend with. The
drought, however. is no respecter OF
policies. The situation that has been
created gives the critics of the Roosevelt
New Deal plenty Of ammunition. They
apparently intend to use 1t to the limit.
The ambition of Gov. James NJ Curley
Of Massachusetts, to become United
States Senator is running into all kinds
Of snags. He is threatened not only in
the Democratic primary, but in the gen.
eral election.
In the first place, Lieut. Gov. Joseph
L. Hurley, whom the Governor left out
OF his calculations when the states Of
Democratic candidates were being made
up. if of the reservation. He may enter
the senatorial race against Curley.
Hurley had hoped to be the Democratic
candidate for Governor to succeed Cur
ley. But the nomination, with Curley q
assistance, went to another Hurley. The
Governor recently sought to pursuade
the lieutenant governor to become q
candidate again for his present job. But
Hurley flatly declined.
Senator Marcus A. Coolidge, Democrat
present holder of the Senate seat which
Curley is seeking. is not to be q candi-
date for the Democratic nomination to
succeed himself. However. it is en-
tirely within the cards he will do all he
can to help defeat Curley for the nomi-
nation or for the election.
His son-in-law, Mayor Robert E.
Greenwood Of Fitchburg, has filed for
the Democratic senatorial nomination
AAC aAo tAC AACotCAdhU SotCILOI IldVC
been in conference, with the possibility
that one or the other may withdraw to
unity the forces against Curley. Then,
too. Mayor Mansfield of Boston. Demo-
crat and an implacable foe Of Gov. Cur
ley, has filed in the senatorial and the
gubernatorial primaries.
Mansfield Is in Europe and he. too. Is
expected to hold conference with the
other anti Curley Democrats when he re.
turns in an effort to work out practical
way to stop Curley in the primary
Mansfield has demanded the defeat OF
Curley for any public office. To add to
the difficulties for the Governor, Thomas
Z. O'Brien, who has been selected by
Father Coughlin to run as q candidate
for Vice President on the Union party
ticket with Representative Lemke OF
North Dakota, is entering as candidate
for the Senate on the Union party ticket
in this State. 1t is figured that OBrien's
vote will take away votes from Curley
In both the primary contest and in the
general election.
1t begins to look better and better for
Henry Cabot Lodge, the Republican
candidate for the Senate.
These are the days when every straw
In the wind is examined closely by the