Evening star., 1938-07-15
The Unspoken Word.

The UnspOken Word.
President Roosevelts purge" tech
nique SO far in his incursion into Demo-
cratic primaries has lacked fireworks.
In Colorado the head of the Demo-
cratic party" failed to mention Senator
Alva B. Adams or to make any friendly
gesture toward the Senator-although
Senator Adams was on his train. Much
the same kind of treatment was accorded
Senator Pat McCarran in Nevada. Both
of these Senators have been on the
White House blacklist because Of their
opposition to the Presidents court bill
and other measures.
Perhaps the unspoken word may prove
effective; the Withholding Of the presi-
Dental pat may blight the chances Of
Messrs. Adams and McCarran. In the
days Of Louis XIV. lie Grand Monarque,
the failure of the King to smile upon a
courtier or to address a remark to him
was devastating. On the other hand, the
sun shown brightly when the monarch
showed his pleasure in the presence of
his humble followers. It may be that
these are the ways Of present American
politics and American rule. But it has
still to be demonstrated. A great many
Of the unbelieving continue to figure
that both Senator Adams and Senator
McCarran have excellent chances of re-
election.
Indeed, unless the President drops this
"silence treatment" and adopts the good
old cut and thrust methods, the purge
OF anti-court bill Democratic Senators
seems doomed to dismal failure. It may
be, however, that the head of the Dem
ocratic party" is merely storing up steam
and energy and bitterness to cut loose
in diatribes against those old "feudal-
ists," Senators Cotton Ed" Smith In
South Carolina and Walter George in
Georgia.
The White House inner circle set out
blithely with the purge idea some weeks
ago. TO date, however, two of the
purgees, Senator Gillette in Iowa and
Senator Van Nuys in Indiana, have been
trtumphantly renominated. There is no
senatorial scalp to wave before the eyes
Of the faithful Nor does the scalping
look good for the future. There is no
slighest chance that the New Dealers
viii be able to eliminate Senator Bennett
Clark in Missouri, Senator Lonergan in
Connecticut and very little chance of de-
feating either Senator Adams or Senator
McCarran. OF the eight so-called recall
citrants. only three are left, Smith of
South Carolina, George of Georgia and
Tydings of Maryland
Unless the President turns loose the
full battery Of his inf1uence-which does
not come from his being head of the
Democratic party, but comes from his
being President of the United States
there is small chance the New Dealers
will defeat either Smith or George. Ap-
parently the New Deal administration
has decided to go the limit 50 far as SEN
ator Tydings is concerned, even to re-
moving from Federal Office men who are
In the Tydings camp.
In his latest "fireside chat" to the Amer
lean people, the President indicated that
his alter ego-the head of the Demo-
cratic party-would not hesitate to speak
out against the "yes, but fellows" the
Democrats in Congress who failed to go
through for him in matters of legisla-
tion. The country is still waiting to hear
the head of the Democratic party" on
the warpath. It may wait in vain-for
silence may, after all, be the better part
Of political valor in these cases.