Evening star., 1936-02-10
THE POLITICAL
MILL
BY G. Could Lincoln.

the people of Ohio be given a chance
to do their own picking of presidential
candidates may make a hit with the
people. 1t will not be so we'll received
by leaders who have their own ideas
about the presidential candidates that
should be selected. Anyway, it's in line
with the Borah plan of campaign. For
If Senator Borah is to win the Republican
presidential nomination, it will come at
the hands OF the people themselves.
It's clear enough that there are many
Of the regular leaders in the party who
do not look upon Borah with favor. How
many OF them have declared for him?
Outside OF few of the Western States,
as in the case of North Dakota where
Senators Nye and Frazier have both
definitely committed themselves to the
Idaho Senator, there seem to be none.
4 4 4
In New York, for example, his prin-
clpal supporters are Representative
Hamilton Fish, who plays lone hand,
and klngsland Macy, who was chairman
| OF the Republican State Committee, but
who was ousted from that Office because
other leading figures in the party did
not want him any longer. In Ohio he
has the backing of former Senator Nc
| Colloch, and of few other leaders who
do not train with the organization all
| the time. In Pennsylvania he has the
| friendship of former Gov. Clifford Pin
| chot, and Pinchot has always been
| rank outsider in the Republican outfit
| there. And so it goes.
1t seems clear enough that if Borah
is to win in Ohio and in other States,
1t must be through support of the rank
and file. No wonder, therefore, that he
issued the attack he did on favorite son
candidates. and uninstructed delegates
| It's his play, and if he follows it up with
| active campaigning in Ohio and other
States, for example, Illinois, West Vir-
ginia and perhaps Indiana, he may
| make real dent in the situation. But
there seems no doubt he will have to
| give himself over to active campaigning
Tor the next few months. There is fac
nonal trouble in Indiana now, as there
has been often in the past. Former
Senator Arthur Robinson is inclined to
be in BorahiS corne- in the coming fight
and to try to line up delegates in
HooSierdom. He has been here to talk
things over with Borah.
One of the things which the leaders
bring up against Borah is the attitude
OF the colored voters. His definite state
ment that he would veto an anti-lynch-
! ing bill like the CoStigan- Wagner meas
ure if he were President. because he be-
heved it unconstitutional, has had bad
reaction, they say. Furthermore, it is
claimed that in some of the important
Northern and Midwest States the Negro
vote may hold the balance of power.
l Nall n
velt may have the support of a large
part of these colored voters, no matter
whom the Republicans put up. The
only colored member of Congress is a
Democrat from Illinois.
|
Sinclair Weeks has announced his can
didacy for the Republican senatorial
nomination in Massachusetts, For a
time it was believed that he might come
out for the House in his congressional
district. In that event. former Repre-
sentative Robert Luce veteran legis-
lator who went down to defeat in the
Democratic landslide, would have made
a bid for the senatorial nomination. But
Mr.. Luce has decided to leave the way
open for his friend Weeks and to try
again for his old seat in the House. This
he has told friends.
| Weeks is the son of the late John w.
weeks, who served as Senator and later
as Secretary of War in the Harding and
Coolidge administrations. He has been
active in politics in the Bay State and
mayor Of Newton, giving a good admin
| iStration His entry into the senatorial
race brings him up against the grandson
of the late Senator Henry Cabot Lodge,
Henry Cabot Lodge, Sd. Young Lodge
has been member of the State Legis-
lature for term or two, and has made
a good record there.
Whoever the Republican senatorial
nominee turns out to be, he will in all
probability face Gov. James A. Curley in
the election campaign, unless Curley
changes his mind The Governor an
nounced not long ago that his ambition
was to go to the Senate, in place of
Senator Marcus A. Coolidge, another
Democrat Curley is one of the most
resourceful politicians Massachusetts, has
produced. He is one of the original
Roosevelt men in that part of the coun-
try. He will be hard man TO beat.
However, if this is Republican year in
Massachusetts, and the State goes
against Roosevelt in the presidential
election, as it may very well do, judging
from the sentiment there now, Curley
may find himself beaten. 1t is doubtful
that the Governor would this year make
stronger run in Massachusetts than
would Roosevelt. Indeed, there is reason
to believe he might not run so strongly
as the President He has made plenty
of enemies, and a number OF them are
Democrats. The mayor of Boston, Mans
field, Democrat, is out to get Curley
scalp if he can. Former Gov. Joe Ely
has declared war on Curley and on
Roosevelt, too. So Republican nomlna-
tionS in Massachusetts, seem to be much
more valuable than they have been Tor
several years.
Senator James Hamilton Lewis, colortul
senior Senator from Illinois, has written
to the Democratic State Committee
agreeing to run again for his present
seat. At one time Senator Lewis SAID
that he did not wish to make the race
again. He wanted to get back to his
practice of law in Chicago. But he has
reached the conclusion that he should
do all in his power to help in the COM
ing national election. He is the strongest
candidate the Democrats have to put
forward for the Senate seat. He has
many friends among the Republicans
as well as the Democrats. He Is not
mixed up in the factional Democratic
squabbles that have gone on and are
going on In Illinois. Lewis will be a