Evening star., 1937-09-25
CHEYENNE FAILS
TO START FIGHT.
O'Mahoney's Meeting With
Roosevelt Proves "Dud,"
Politically Speaking.

at Cheyenne, for the first time on his
present trip, came face to face with
a Democratic senator who had vigor-
ously opposed his Supreme Court bill,
but the result WAS a distinct anti
climax.
The let-down was the more pro-
nounced because the wyoming citi-
zenry was all set to witness great
political drama. The stage was fixed
for it when Senator Joseph c. OMa-
honey arrived in Cheyenne late the
previous day all unlimited by Presi-
dent Roosevelt and tired and dishev-
eled from four days fast driving from
Chicago He had first heard that
the President would speak in Chey-
enne, his home down, when he read
the newspapers last Monday morning
and he lost not minute in starting
for home.
In the meantime, the Wyoming
electorate was being stirred by re-
peated stories from the eastward that
the President was coming out to take
the hide off the senators who had
wrecked his legislative program, and
O'Mahoney, who with Senator Pat
McCarran of Nevada. had turned the
tide against the court bill in the Sem
ate Judiciary Committee, obviously
was shining target for the presiden-
tial wrath.
Would He Face Roosevelt?
For three days, Cheyenne citizens
had been debating whether OMahoney
would dare to face Mr.. Roosevelt. His
close friends were sure that no man
with an Irish %" ahead of his name
ever ran away from fight. The more
ardent New Dealers jeered back vari-
ously that O'Mahoney was lost and he
would remain so until after the Roose-
Welt visit, or that Joe might turn up.
but II he did. he would be nothing
more than grease spot by the time
the President got through with him.
AS indicated above, the climax came
when the Senator came driving down
the main street in his own dusty auto
mobile at dusk on Thursday, to declare
that he had come to meet Mr.. Roose-
welt, either friend or foe, as the latter
might elect.
The Wyoming Eagle. Cheyenne's only
morning newspaper, which was handed
the President an hour before his
arrival. devoted most of its front page
to the impending Roosevelt o Mahoney
scrap. State tense as F. r. nears
Cheyenne" 1t blared in an eight
column headline. followed by the decla-
ration in slightly smaller type that
failure to invite O'Mahoney to ioin
him creates stir"
The following text declared that
Gov. Leslie L. Miller and Senator Harry
schwartz had been invited to ride
through the State with the President
but not O'Mahoney. Two other articles,
almost equally displayed. told of OMa-
moneys dash from Chicago and his in
tention to meet the President even if
1t was only as private citizen. and
that meeting of Cheyenne Democrats
had decided Thursday evening to stage
testimonial dinner for OMahonev
next Monday, seats for which already
were more than sold out.
Hoped Against ReprisaIs.
recalled that 1t had been supporter
of Roosevelt In the elections of both
1882 and 1886, but that it had been
compelled to disagree with him on his
Supreme Court and corporate tax bills
and on some features of the wages
and hours bill. 1t expressed conf
oence that the President will not stoop
to reprisal against those who disagree
with him.
such was the setting when the
presidential train drew into the Chey-
enne station. Members of the local
Citizens Committee, headed by Gov
Miller, no less than the newspaper
correspondents were speculating as to
whether O'Mahoney would appear
when he suddenly strobe into the
group. He had not been invited bv
the President and he didn't know
where he stood, he admitted. but he
couldn't permit the President to come |
to his home town without being on
hand to greet him. Mrs Roosevelt |
came along Just then and shook hands |
With OMahoney with every appear
ance of warmth. Senator Schwartz. a |
first termer in Washington. edged for |
ward and there was a touch of tri- |
umph in OMahoney's manner when |
Mrs. Roosevelt failed to recognize the |
Junior Senator and OMahoney was
compelled to introduce him.
A moment later, the Presidents sec
fetary, Marvin Mcintyre, greeted |
O'Mahoney and it was Mcintyre who
subsequently assured the Senator that |
the President would be glad to have |
him ride the train to its last Wyoming
stop at Casper.
No Mention of Ma jor Aims.
O'Mahoney moved out into the
crowd to listen to one of the most in
nocuous speeches Mr.. Roosevelt ever
has delivered. The President made
no mention of his court bill or of any
other of the major features of his leg
1slatlve program. Instead, he told of
the thousand of airports and new
schools the Federal Government had
built from relief funds.
The depression emergency and the
era of government spending, he said.
Was drawing toward an end. He was
sure 1t all had been very helpful to
the Nation and even more sure that
the Government of the United States
Is not going broke. This last pro-
nouncement evoked mild cheer, the
only one that the crowd of 5000
vouchsafed. 1t had come in ex-
pectancy of dog fight and it was
plainly disappointed when nothing of
the sort occurred.
While the President was speaking
Senator O'Mahoney engaged in con-
tinuous reception, dozens of citizens
moved over to shake his hand, slap his
back and whisper encouragement. The
Senator plainly was having most
enjoyable time.