Evening star., 1936-08-20
THE POLITICAE'
MILL
BY C. GOULD LINCOLN.

the new Union party. with its Lemke-
OBrien national ticket in the field. Sec
ond, there has entered into the picture
a strife Of the bitterest kind In the field
of organized labor, when Roosevelt was
counting on q united support Of labor.
Third, there has been organized the "Jef-
ferson Democrats" to combat the re-
election of the President. And, finally,
there Is in the ofing an increase in the
cost of living, particularly for food.
Any one of these sets Of circumstances
might seriously affect national election.
Take the first-the Lemke-O' O'Brien ticket,
backed by Father Coughlin and his Ma
tional Union for Social Justice, with the
backing also promised by Or. Townsend
of old-age pension fame and Rev. Gerald
Smith, who was an organizer OF the
Huey Long Share Our Clubs.
There seems no slightest doubt that such
a national ticket will take the votes away
from Roosevelt, rather than from Lam
don. Up here in Massachusetts,, where
Father Coughlin has a considerable fol-
lowing, there Is no slightest doubt about
that. 1t is rumored that preliminary
poll taken by the Literary Digest already
has disclosed distinct and heavy draft
away llOlIl fbOOSCtClt W xoAiNtOh, VAoAA
Lemke receiving slice of the vote that
is by no means negligible.
More and more the slogan, "A vote
for Roosevelt is vote for John L.
Lewis" is believed to be making itself
felt in the national political campaign.
1t was almost inevitable that this should
happen If President William Green and
his followers in the American Federation
of Labor were unwilling to accept Lewis
and his Committee for Industrial Or
ganiZation. The c. I. o. was undermine
ing the A. F. of L. There seems no
doubt of that in the light of the fact
that nearly one-third of the total num-
Der of organized laborers are lined up
under that committee. The Roosevelt
New Dealers have played heavily in the
case OF organized labor. They have
counted on the support Of labor and have
been willing to throw overheard other
elements and groups among the voters
in the hope of having the workers solidly
behind the President for reelection. 1t
has always been an impossible task to
deliver" the vote of labor in this ccun-
try. It looks as though it was going to
q
So far as the Jefferson Democrats"
are concerned, it is impossible to predict
with certainty Just how influential they
will be in the campaign. They have not
sought to put an independent Demo-
cratic ticket in the field. In that they
have been wise. For many Of the JET
ferson Democrats believe that the best
and easiest way to defeat Roosevelt is
<4 ~ xlo
lican nominee. The Jeffersonians have
picked live wire for the chairman
Of their Finance Committee, former Gov.
Joseph B. Ely of Massachusetts. There
Is reason to believe, it Is said, that the
number Of Jeffersonian Democrats who
will not support Roosevelt next Novem-
Der Is large, despite the slurs cast upon
the movement by Chairman Farley of
the Democratic National Committee and
others. About 1900 anti-Roosevelt
Democrats in Maryland took the trouble
on the day of the presidential prefer
entail primary in that State last Spring
to vote for Col. Henry Breckenridge.
They knew he had not the slightest
chance to win against President Roose-
welt in that primary. Maryland Demo-
Gratis are saying today that there un-
doubtedly were many other anti-Roose-
velt Democrats who did not go to the
polls in the primary, but who will vote
FOR Landon in November-or. barring
that, will not vote at all.
With the prices of corn and hogs sky
rocketing in the Chicago market, it is
easy to guess what is going to happen
to food prices. Other crops are short
this year, too. Corn hit S113 and hogs
exceeded the $12 mark. Such prices
have not been received for corn for a
decade. and the price of hogs is higher
than it has been for a year. 1t was
the high price of pork year ago that
set the housewives of the country row.
ing. These high prices for farm products
react in two ways. They make the farm
ers happy, but the consumers Of food
stuffs feel vastly different about the mat
ter. This year, due to the drought and
the Governments program for the cur
tailment Of crops, the farmers will not
have as much to sell. Some Of them will
have very little to sell. All Of which Is
likely to curtail the satisfaction of the
farmers over the high prices Of crops.
4 X
Two senatorial campaigns, one in the
North and the other in the Far South.
are arousing great deal Of interest. In
New Hampshire former Senator Moses
is seeking to stage comeback. He is
opposing Gov. H. Styles Bridges. the
States youthful Governor, in the Re-
publican senatorial primary. Senator
Keyes, veteran Republican, whose seat
is at stake this year, is not entering the
race to succeed himself. The New Hamp-
shire senatorial campaign, on the Re-
publican side, is to some extent-and
perhaps considerable extent-a con-
test of the younger element in the Re-
publican party against the older. Moses
has the support of the latter. Gov.
Bridges won in his State two years ago
during campaign when the Roosevelt
swing was strong. Moses lost in his
fight for reelection in 1882, although
Hoover carried the State. The former
Senator is an old hand at the political
game, however, and resourceful. He was
q leader in the pre-convention campaign
for the nomination of Col. Frank Knox
for the G. o. P. presidential nomination.
For years he has been close friend Of
Col. Knox. What effect, If any, that
relationship with the Republican NOM
inee for Vice President will have on the
primary remains to be seen.
~
The other senatorial primary fight
which Is holding particular interest just
now is that Of Senator Pat Harrison of
Mississippi against former Gov. Conner.
Within a short time IL will he settled