Evening star., 1938-08-20

the Hague tag"
from being tackled onto William Fl. J.
Ely, who has the unanimous backing
of the Democratic State organization.
But why is Mr.. Hague so generous?
Why does man who fights the G. l. o,
tooth and nail, and tries to prevent
the Wagner Act from operating in
Jersey City, suddenly accept candi-
date who is 100 per cent for the New
Deal? This is a significant question
and many answers are possible.
One is that Mr. Hague bows defer
entially to a greater boss than he Is
and avoids fight, knowing full well
that New Jersey is perhaps rather
friendly to former Senator Warren
Barbour, who is to be the Republican
nominee, and who ran way ahead of
his ticket in 1882 when he was de-
feated by narrow margin.
Federal Funds Desirable.
Another is that Mr.. Hague would
like to play ball With the administra-
ton at this time, for a number of
reasons. For one thing the flow of
Federal projects is too important to be
interrupted. Also Mr.. Hague isn't es-
pecially interested in national affairs
provided he can run the State of New
Jersey. If Mr.. Ely is beaten, and a
Republican goes in, then Mayor Hague
has made his record of party assist
ance any way
But is Mr.. Ely Hague man? Prob
ably during the campaign he will have
to, answer that question directly, be-
cause President Roosevelt himself
raised it in his own "fireside" speech
Of June "a last when he said:
And am concerned about the at
titude Of candidate or his sponsors
with respect to the rights of American
citizens to assemble peaceably and to
express publicly their views and opin-
ions on important social and economic
issues. There can be no constitutional
Democracy in any community which
denies to the individual his freedom TO
speak and worship as he wishes. The
American people will not be deceived
by anyone who attempts to suppress
individual liberty under the pretense
OF patriotism"
May Dodge Question.
The para agraph undoubtedly referred
10 the Jersey City situation where
freedom Of speech WIS denied Norman
Thomas and where union organizers
were forcibly driven from the same
area. Maybe Mayor Hague thinks,
and possibly Mr.. Ely may think, that
nobody will raise the question, es-
pecially since former Senator Barbour
may be expected to draw his support
from some of the same conservative
Republican elements which have a
' more or less secret sympathy for what
Mayor Hague has done. But Mr..
Barbour will risk losing many inde-
pendent votes if he adopts such a
timid course.
Much needs to be explained yet in
the Jersey situation but the latest
statement by Mr.. Ely, that he hoped
Mr.. Roosevelt would come into Jersey
and make a speech for him and that
he thinks the President approves
his candidacy, may give the impress
sion that the whole affair is Spon-
taneous. When all the facts are de-
veloped it probably will turn out that
Mr.. Ely'S candidacy is a sort of truce
between the Hague forces and the
Administration. The Department of
Justice here has announced that it
is investigating the interference with
rai,- iHn,-t it,
the same Federal authority that it in
voked in Harlan County, Kentucky.
Maybe Mr.. Hague feels that if ne
gives Mr.. Roosevelt rubber stamp
Seantor the Administration in Wash
ington not only ought to let him alone
bat should see to it that the pump
printing comes with revived vigor into
the populous counties of the Hague
domain.
w. P. A. Support Assured.
Another aspect which will not escape
general attention is that, when it came
to selecting a candidate, the Jersey
Democrats went Harry Hopkins one
better-they selected his own Jersey
director Naturally" says Mr.. Hop
kins, the w. P. A. is 80 per cent for
Mr.. Roosevelt and naturally" all the
candidates and politically minded are
to be found in his encourage. To
nominate the head of the w. P. A.
is to bring the whole w. P. A. State
organization into action behind the
nominee. Mr. Hague knew where to
find candidate and the New Deal
may be expected to approve 100 per
cent, because there is no scruple here
about Federal activity in politics.
There is rule that private corpora
tions may not employ persons from
the Internal Revenue Bureau or cer-
tain other Government departments
to do work for them before the Gov
eminent for period Of two years after
their resignation from Office Some
day public opinion will demand that
heads of humanitarian and non
partisan agencies may not engage in
political campaigns either as candi-
dates or managers for period of two
years after they have resigned. 1t
would be salutary amendment to
existing corrupt practices acts.