Imperial Valley press., 1937-08-18
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News Behind the News
Messy Politics Hypocrisy Noted
In NeU York City Fight ;. Who's
Roosevelt Backing?

WASHINGTON - Hypocrisy in politics - al
though ii is virtually universal-seldom blooms
into its quintessence more voluptously thah a1
times when national administration insists
it is taking no part IN the HaSoFal1s poii'iee Va
New York City.
This years New York fight also indicates
what a mess politics is coming to, Wnen you re-
call that Mayor Fiorello baGuardia prooaply
will be running the Republican, Fusion Amer
lean Labor Party and Communist tickets. And
that the Roosevelt administration coVertiy Will
be working for La Guardia-probably openly IN
case anti-administration Senator Royal 5. Cope
land Tammanys candidate, should win IN the
ctys Democrtic primaries. Copeland has also
entered the Republican primary.
From now on there will be emissaries shoot
ing in and out of Washington with various
assurances that the President is sincerely back
ing Judge jeremiah T. Mahoney or that he Is
really behind LaGuardia, whom he sees as
an important cog in the anticipated Dig progress
sive-conservative split of l940. No one will ever
suggest that there's any chance that the PreSl-
dent or Farley will whole-heartedly support
Copeland, although some tipsterS will assert that
Roosevelt will keep hands OFF II Copeland becomes
the Democratic nominee.
The hottest tip this writer gets is that Roose-
Velt is for LaGuardia and will quietly help him
or certainly not get in his way-in any event.
whereas he would do everything in his power to
beat Copeland. The senator took a walk IN
the last campaign and his wife made pep talks
TO Republican groups, SO administration oppos-
tion will be more than mere repriSal.
Copeland has no illusions He publicly de-
clares that Roosevelt is breaking up the Demo-
cratic party and he demands a constitutional
amendment limiting President to two terms.
Although Vice President John Garner told OPP
position senators that in ending the court plan
fight there would be no reprisals by the admin
istration Copeland knows better and is publiciz-
ing the fact that there will be. He has made
the mayoralty fight, although it seemed sure to
be anyway test of New Deal strength in Amer
ica's metropolis
Four years ago Farley Ed Flynn and other
leaders ganged up behind Holy Joe Mckee and
backed him against the Tammany candidate
on an American Party" ticket. La Guardia
won in a three-Way fight Since then it has
always been a question in the minds of politi-
clans and political students to whether Roose-
Vet allowed Farley, who sincerely wanted to
the machine under his control, to back another
strong ticket SO that La Guardia could slip
through TO victory by virtue of a division of
the opposition vote.
There has been much happy, childish excite
ment among the New Dealers since it be-
came known that Copeland might run. Few
anti-NeW Deal senators are so distinguished as
objects of administration hatred as he Roose-
Vet made point of laughing uproariously when
he asked about the senator at press con-
ference.
But Copeland has a big record as a vote
getter. One Of his strongest supporters in the
present contest is Al Smith.