Evening star., 1937-09-07
THE POLITICAL
MILL
BY g. GOULD LINCOLN.

| its head prominently in the next session
! of Congress. What the administration
| leaders will do about 1t remains to be
seen. Senator Holt Of West Virginia,
| decidedly off the New Deal reservation,
| has announced he will offer resolu
ton placing the Senate on record as
| opposed to third term for any Presi-
| dent. It can. of course, be aimed only
| at one President at this time-Franklin
| D. Roosevelt
If such a resolution is brought to the
| floor Of the Senate, what will be the
| attitude of Senator Barkley of Kentucky,
| the newly elected Democratic leader?
| What will be the attitude OF the ardent
| New Deal Senators on the Democratic
| side of the chamber-the Mintons, the
| Schwellenbachs, ETC.? Unless they get
some definite word from the White
House, they are likely to be on q hot
spot. OF course, a resolution adopted
by the Senate declaring in effect its
opposition to the reelection of President
Roosevelt may not be considered bind
ing upon the Democratic National Con-
vention of 1910, or upon the electorate.
However, 1t would not be without its
influence in the political set-up three
years hence.
The anti-tllird term resolution would
have quite naturally the support Of the
group Of Republican Senator's small
minority, but not to be excluded from
consideration 1t would have the sup
port of many of the Democrats who
opposed the President on the court
bill Senator Burke of Nebraska, a
leader of Democratic opposition to the
court bill, already has declared himself
I~l& -.
resolution. Some of the oRoosevelt
Senators have likewise announced them
selves in favor of the nomination of
another Democrat for President in 1910,
among them Senator Minton of Indi-
ana, who declared for the nomination
of Paul McNutt, former Governor Of
the Hoosier State and at present the
representative of the United States Gov
eminent in the Philippines. Minton
insisted that he believed President Roose-
welt did not wish a third term, in max
ing his pro-McNutt statement. 1t would
be a difficult situation, however, for
Minton, if he were asked to vote for
resolution denying President Roosevelt
the privilege, so far as the Senate could
deny it, of running for another term
in the White House.
that he intends to make a swing across
the country, to the Pacific Coast, this
Fall if the events of the war in the
Far East do not necessitate his remain
ing in Washington. Ostensibly the trip
is to visit his daughter and her husband
in Seattle. If 1T were not, however, for
desire on the part of the President
to see and be seen in the West and
Middle West, 1t would Immediately sug-
gest itself that it would be far easier
for the Presidents daughter and her
husband to visit the President in WASH
ington. His trip necessarily will have
political flavor.
Should the President make this trip
across the continent he will have op-
portunity to gauge again his popularity
with the people; their support of his
legislative program, including the plan
to increase the membership of the Su-
preme Court. Any President of the
United States, on such trip, would
draw huge crowds. The President doubt
less will have them. He may be able,
however, to obtain more direct infor-
nation from the leaders of his party,
little and big, as he crosses the State
chance they will tell him what he
wants to hear rather than what they
really believe. At the same time, the
Chief Executive may have a real oppor-
tunity to size up the political situation,
and to learn how many OF the people
really feel on important subjects of
legislation.
For years DR.. Nicholas Murray Butler,
president of Columbia University, has
been an interesting figure in politics.
Republican, he rebelled strongly
against national prohibition which the
G. 0. P. hugged to its bosom for season.
He has been a liberal in some things
and reactionary in others. Now Dr.
Butler comes forward with a demand
that the old political parties be scrapped
and the voters rally under new banners.
He proposed that two new parties be
formed-one the constitutional liberal
and progressive party, the other the re-
dictionary radical party. That is DR..
Buffers conception. 1t would not f1t
in with the ideas of President Roosevelt,
Senator Bob" La Toilette of Wisconsin
and other strong New Dealers. For DR..
Butler places them in the reactionary
radical group. They are, says Dr. Butler,
really reactionary although they call
themselves progressive, and more Fascist
than the Fascists, intent upon the regi-
mentation OF the American people.
The president of Columbia University
sees no place in the American picture
for a strictly labor party, or for any
party representing special economic
or social group. In fact, he warns that
If continuance of the economic war
fare waged by some Of the labor unions
during the last year should occur the
American form OF government would
be menaced. He favors laws prohibiting
sit-doWn strikes, the use Of mass picket
ing, sympathetic strikes and strikes de-
signed to force the hand Of government.
He favors, in addition, laws compelling
labor unions to become incorporated and
to make annual reports Of their tinanc-
ing. In effect, DR.. Butler would have
much of the British trades union law
of 1927 written into the American stat
utes The British enacted that law
after they had had all they wanted of
a general strike in the British Isles.
DR.. Buffers plea for new parties, with
new alignments, has merit perhaps.
However, there seems to be definite
new breath OF life in the Republican
party. Not because of anything the
Republicans have done, but because Of
the disintegration of the Democratic
Nauy Dool no ortu The Popnhlipan narty