Evening star., 1937-07-11


political lineup. A recent
contribution comes from DR.. Nicholas
Murry Butler, president OF Columbia
University, delegate to more Repub-
lican national conventions than any
other living man. once Republican
candidate for Vice President. Today
DR.. Butler says THE Republican
party must change its name as well
as its principles ." He predicts
the end Of the Republican and Demo-
cratic parties. and q new alignment
with four candidate for President in
1910.
There will be more Of this as we
approach next years congressional
elections-the primaries are only
about nine months away. From
divers sources will come various sug-
gestions. They will include:
(a) That the Republican party
change its name;
(b) That the Democratic party
divide into two, an orthodox Jeffer-
sonian Democratic party and a New
Deal party-a Labor party, or a
Farmer Labor party, or what not;
Co That there be coalition be-
tween tn orthodox Jeffersonian Demo-
cratic party and what is now the
Republican party.
And so on, and 50 on-the posi-
bilities are many.
First National Vote Next Year.
Without discussing the merits or
likelihood Of any of these suggestions
without assuming that any of them
will come into being, let us approach
the subject from the standpoint of
time. Let us consider the next thing
the thing that is nearest ahead.
The first national election ahead
Of us will occur next year 1t will
be congressional election-the whole
OF the House, and one third on the
Senate, will be up for reelection
except such few as voluntarily retire.
This congressional election, as an
election strictly, is more than year
ahead 1t will take place November
8, 1888. But as a campaign, it is less
than year ahead. AS respects
primaries it is considerably less than
year ahead. The primaries, which
| determine denominations, begin as
early as next March and continue in
the various States through next April,
May, June and later. And in con-
nection with the present political
issues, the primaries are peculiarly
important
The most spectacular. and also the
most important aspect of next year in
politics is the fate of those Democratic
Senators who have opposed the Presi-
dents court measure. Everything
turns upon whether these are defeated
or are returned. And it is in the
Democratic primaries mainly that the
question will be answered.
A Democrat. such as Senator Nc
Carrsn of Nevada, for example,
| might be able to be reelected in the
general election in November, for
there he would have the votes of
two groups. He would have the votes
| Of all Democrats who believe in his
position. and of most other Demo
Gratis as we'll, and in addition he
would have the votes of a large
number of Republicans who would
wish to support him because Of their
approval of his opposition to the
Presidents court measure.
Must Have Nomination.
But Senator McCarran-and the
same applies to all the others-can-
not well run in the general election
in November unless he first gets the
Democratic nomination.
1t is in the Democratic primaries
that the fates of the anti-court
measure Senators will be determined
In those primaries they will prob
ably have a difficult time.
1t can be assumed that President
Roosevelt will want them defeated
and that National Chairman, Post
master-General Farley, doing what
the President wants, will try to de-
feat them. Mr.. Farley and the Presi-
dent will have much power in the
primaries, for Mr.. Farley is general
to a considerable army of Demo-
cratic workers in the States, Federal
office holders, beneflciaries of relief
beneficiaries of other Administration
largesse. Also. when the nationa
| Democratic machine takes a posi-
ton, the local State. county and city
Democratic machines commonly take
the same position.
The net Of which Is that those
Democratic Senators who oppose the
Presidents court measure will f1nc
it difdcult to get renominated. II
might be that their course about the
court measure would be approved
by the majority sentiment OF the
State. and yet they would be de-
feated in Democratic primaries.
Can Republicans help them? In
some States, yes. In other States, no
In some States Republican cannot
vote in Democratic primary-nc
one can vote in Democratic pri.
mary unless he swears that he voted
the Democratic ticket in the last
general election land the same, OF
course, as to Democrats voting in
Republican primaries). In other
States, Republicans can vote freely
in Democratic primaries, and vice
versa. The laws are different in diff
ferent States.
One State. Indiana, still retains
the old convention system and un-
der the convention method 1t is com.
paratively easy for the machine te
determine nominations. This means
that Democratic Senator Van Nuys
Of Indiana, who opposes the Presi-
dents court measure, will probably
find It difficult to get denomination
If the Republicans in Indiana want
to see Mr.. Van Nuys returned to the
Senate, their only practicable way
would be to give him the Republican