The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1937-09-09
SEEN
HEARD
around the
NATIONAL
CAPITAL
By Carter Field ~
By Carter Field .

Washington.-Nev very potent,
either as an orator on the floor or a |
manipulation behind the scenes In |
the senate, Joseph F. Guffey is be-
ing advised by close friends to run
for governor of Pennsylvania. They
contend, as automatically as they
dare in their advice, that following
Guffey's denunciation over the radio
of the 'ingrates" among his col
leagues, his effectiveness in the up
per house is destroyed.
Guffey is a very unusual figure in
public life. His Importance for years
was due largely to a general con-
viction that he played along with
Tammany Hall in the days when
Tammany was pretty nearly New
York. At any convention he was
much sought after, on the theory
that he would throw the Pennsyl-
vania delegation whichever way
New York decided to go, and it was
much easier to get deal or a story,
according to whether the inquirer
was a politician or a newspaper
man. from Guffey than from any OF
the tight-lipped New York leaders.
So Guffey was always in the
news, in the days just before and
during a national Democratic con-
vention. After the convention he
subsidized into comparative OBSCURE
ty, save for occasional visits to ma
tional headquarters, when he would
tell every politician and every news
paper man with whom he talked
that Pennsylvania would be lin the
bag" for the Democratic nominee if
only he could get liberal cash do
nation from the national committee.
His success in Wheedling contribu-
tons for these forlorn hopes was
astonishing. In 1928, for instance,
he had John J. Raskob convinced
that Al Smith could carry Pennsyl-
vania if Raskob would just let Guf-
fey have enough money.
cts surprising" said the late
Joseph T. Robinson. down at Hot
Springs, Ark, for his notification
ceremony, what favorable reports
we are getting from Pennsylvania.
| believe we are going to carry
that state.
Don't let Guffey kid YOU said
a newspaper friend. He just wants
some of Raskob's dough.
Four years later, however, the
sun really began to shine ON Cuff
fey's political fortunes. Right at the
outset he came out for Franklin
p. Roosevelt, breaking the hoary
tradition fnever apparently very
much justified by developmentsl of
his alignment with Tammany. He
was credited with winning major
ity of the Keystone states delegates
for Roosevelt. In assuming
he could have delivered the same
number of delegates to any one of
the "allies'-he nominated Roose-
welt.
For all of which Jim Farley was
profoundly grateful. And SO was
Roosevelt. Guffey rolled in cam
paign contributions for Pennsyl-
vania. He didn't carry it, but the
gratitude carried on. He was given
so much patronage that there was
real revolt among the Pennsyl-
vania Democratic representatives,
led by no less parsonage than
Pat Boland, of Scranton, now whip
of the house.
As senator, Guffey has simply
been another pro administration
vote. His speeches had a canned
flavor. He was accused Of having
them written for him by the Brain
Trusters, and he has never denied
it. But he fumbles the readingl
Now he has arraigned against
himself every Democratic senator
who revolted on the Supreme court
enlargement, and, less openly, ev-
cry Democratic senator who has re-
volted on anything. They don't like
this reprisal idea. They suspect the
President is accurately represented
by Guffey, but that does not endear
the Pennsylvania senator to them
So Guffey may decide to accept
the advice of some Of his friends
and run for governor. ---.---
III