Evening star., 1937-10-13
Member of the Associated Press
A Party Matter.

the Democratic National Committee
James A. Farley has Kicked in" for
jeremiah T. Mahoney in the New York
City mayoralty contest. Mahoney is op-
posing the colorful Mayor La Guardia.
The Farley support Of Mahoney, now
openly announced, was to be expected
AS between two New Dealers-as La
Guardia and Mahoney both are-it was
foregone conclusion that Mr.. Farley
would have to back the man who had
the Democratic nomination, particularly
when Mahoney had been nominated by
the Roosevelt Democrats of New York.
The support of Mr.. Farley carries with
1t presumably the support of President
Roosevelt, since Farley is the Presidents
rlght-hand man in things political The
President does not have to say anything
at all, and from his silence it might be
argued that he is neutral in this
nlayoralty contest. Indeed many of the
Presidents friends have rallied to La
Guardia. There are, for example, the
members of the American Labor party,
organized last year to support President
Roosevelt for reelection as well as to
pave the way for future political action
by labor. John L. Lewis has declared
for La Guardia. There are, too, many
independents and some Democrats
friendly to Roosevelt lined up for La
Guardia now. However, the Farley label,
now attached to Mahoney will be re-
garded by many Of the voters as merely
another Roosevelt label.
Unless the President was intent upon
breaking down the regular Democratic
organization, it would be impossible for
him to come out in support of La
Guardia. incidentally, it happens that
La Guardia has the Republican nomina-
tion for Mayor as well as the support
Of the American Labor party and other
groups. The La Guardia case is lust
another instance of the difficulties which
independent and ardent supporters of
the President and his New Deal-outside
the ranks of the Democratic party it.
self-muSt face when they seek public
Office. There we're a number of Re-
publican progressives who rallied to
Roosevelt's support in the 1882 presi-
dental campaign. They did their best
to bring about a Roosevelt victory and
their best was quite lot. Norris of
Mot~r c1,a
johnson of California and the late Sena-
tor Cutting of New Mexico all leaped
upon the Roosevelt band wagon.
Since that 1882 election, two of these
former Republican Senators have been
reelected not as Republicans, but as
Independents and progressives-Norris
and La Toilette. Both had the support
Of Roosevelt, against their Democratic
as well as their Republican opponents.
Senator johnson was reelected as a
Republican and Senator Cutting died in
an airplane accident after the Roose-
velt Democrats had bitterly fought him
for reelection. Cutting made the mis-
eohC Va OpECoIllb tllc TlSSlQtIll OH leSlS-
lation affecting war veterans. Senator
johnson in the late session broke
strongly with the President on the bill
to increase the membership of the Su-
preme Court. He does not run again
until 1910.
Mr.. Farleys job is to keep the Demo-
cratic party homogeneous, harmonious
organization. If the Democratic admin
istration backs Independents or Repub-
licans against the nominees of the
Democratic party, the Farley job be-
comes increasingly difficult What the
President may do about the anti-court-
bill Democratic Senators as they come
up for reelection is another puzzler.