Evening star., 1937-11-05
THE POLITICAL
MILL
BY C. GOULD, LINCOLN.


New York mayoralty contest has set all
the political prophets to prophesying.
The man who broke the back of Tam
many and gave Chairman James A. Far
ley Of the Democratic National Com
mittee a black eye has leaped into the
limelight with both feet. Some see him
as a possible, even probable, Repub-
lican nominee for President in 1910, and
perhaps the Republican Governor of
New York in 1888 Others picture him
as the candidate Of new third party
the American Labor party, which backed
him FOR Mayor in the recent contest.
And third group sees La Guardia stick
ing to Roosevelt and his New Deal. rum
ming perhaps as vice presidential can
didate if President Roosevelt is not the
Democratic candidate in 1910. They
have not yet reached the stage where
they are willing to nominate him for
President on the Democratic ticket.
La Guardia, in his vivid political
career, has been Socialist and Re-
publican, and more recently Fusion
candidate" for Mayor of Americas
greatest city. He has never yet been
Democratic candidate for any Office.
Yet scarcely is the election over last
Tuesday when President Roosevelt calls
to congratulate La Guardia, by tele-
phone. And yesterday the President, in
New York, called the Mayor into con-
ference. 1t looks as though the Presi-
dent was not letting the grass grow
under his feet when it comes to dealing
with La Guardia, the new political
comet. The President has had the
Mayor in his corner in the last two
national campaigns. 1t looks as though
he did not want to lose him now
X X
La Guardias own personal political
ambitions have not been revealed. He
may wish to be Governor of New York
as stepping stone to the White House.
If his own private speculations have not
taken the Mayor so far, the newspapers
of the country have rushed into the
breach and have given him at least
something to think about
The Republicans, in the last two
mayoralty campaigns in New York City
have used La Guardia to slam their
Democratic enemies. This does not
mean that they are particularly fond
OF La Guardia, but it means that they
nave found him very useful. In New
York City the Republicans, as a party,
haven't a chance. They would be
showed under if they put up a candi-
date OF their own. But La Guardia has
great deal Of New Deal following al
though he is not a Democrat. He was
given the support of the American Labor
party.
The reelection of reform Mayor in
New York City has never been accom-
plished before La Guardias victory on
Tuesday. 1t was really an amazing feat.
The biggest block of votes La Guardia
received came from the Republicans
But it does not follow that La Guardia
is particularly enamored of the G. o. P.
1t suited his purpose to take the Repub-
llcan nomination. He will be in a. posi-
tion before long, perhaps. when he must
decide whether he intends to play along
with the Republicans in other and larger
contests Or whether he wishes to re-
main independent, and give his support
either to the nominee of the Democratic
party or to the choice Of a third in
dependent party.
There are plenty of Republicans who
do not care for La Guardia, who has
been dubbed "red" even by the Demo-
Gratis who supported Mahoney in the
race for mayor. At the same time. the
Republicans have been looking for some
one to lead them out of the wilderness.
Last year they would not turn to Sena-
tor Borah OF Idaho, because he was too
liberal or too something else. They
picked former Gov. ALI M. Landon of
Kansas, and they lost with him in a
big way. Here is dynamic figure who
q ar J, Ma
ocratc machine. Some Republicans are
wondering II the Mayor could not clean
up the national Democratic organiza-
ton which Jim" Farley has erected.
1t was something of a dose for many
OF the Republicans in New York City
to swallow La Guardia. They protested,
many OF them, quite violently They
did not like to back man who had
turned away from their presidential
candidates and supported Roosevelt
They thought the Republican chairman
OF New York County. Kenneth Simp-
son, had gone mad when he came out
for La Guardia last summer as the Re-
publican candidate and Fusion candi-
date to lick Tammany again. 1t is one
thlng, OF course, to persuade the Re-
publicans to fall in line for La Guardia
in purely local fight and quite another
to make them back La Guardia for Gov
ernor or for President. They might fall
for him for Governor, it is true. But
how would the Republicans outside of
New York react to a La Guardia for
President drive? William Allen White.
the Sage Of Emporia," Kansas, has
rushed into print urging the G. o. P.
to seize La Guardia and run for the
White House goal. He pictures La.
Guardia as the man who can put an end
to the Roosevelt New Deal, which he
contends is begging down and which
the people are looking toward more and
more as Tammany controlled organi-
zation on national scale. Whether
the rest of the Kansas Republicans have
any such feeling for La Guardia re-
mains to be seen.
The recent election in New York
brought to the fore another man who
may go far in politics, Thomas E. Dewey.
the racket buster. Many Republicans
who do not care particularly for La
Guardia would jump at the chance of
supporting Dewey for Governor and for
an even higher Job, II he makes good.
Dewey will be watched very carefully
from now on.
The Republicans of Missouri recently
held a Statewide convention and
adopted Statement of PRINCIPLES"
That is what 1t Is proposed the Repub-
licans do on a national scale, at ma
tional convention to be held next year.
The RAn1h1frar Nofiono1