The Daily Alaska empire., 1938-07-27
Called an "Off-Year"
(NeW York World-Telegram

(NeW York WOrld-Ieegram)
 MT. Roosevets side in the Florida Senatorial primary MT. Roosevelts or at least MT. Fareys side lost in the Pennsylvania Gubernatorial race MT Roosevelts maybe it MT Ickes' side won in the Oregon Governorship. fight MT. Roosevets or perhaps it just Jimmy Roosevelts and Harry Hopkins side lost in Iowa.
 And now, apparently, the to whom MT Roosevelt gave his blessing in Oklahoma-true, it wasn't all-embracng blessing-has won renomina- ton to the Senate. Elmer Thomas is returning to Washington, presumably to give of the same loyal support to New Deal policies. Conner Smith is remaining at home, along with E. W. Marland who told the people he better New Dealer than Senator Thomas.
 So goes the campaign of 1938 The shadow of one man himself not a candidate for any office casts itself State lines and athwar the multiple cross-currents of local issues and contests. Men running for sheriff county prosecutor telling the voters that they love MT Roosevelt, expecting thereby to get WPA support or that they don't ap- prove all of his policies thus bidding for the suffrage of independents and dssenters
 All of which makes it easy for the dopesters to tell us the score When indorsed Senator Pepper wins n Florida they can simplify and say the President was vindcated. When unlndorsed Senator Gill lette riumphs in Iowa it's easy to spell out the results repudiation of the President. Yet, in all these contests other issues and other personalities count
 If Elmer Thomas had been defeated newspapers all over the country would be carrying headlines today saying that Oklahoma voters had humbled MT. Roose- welt and renounced the New Deal By that rule of thumb it follows that the results should be inter- preted a great victory for the President. Yet there pertinent facts not generally known outside of Okahoma-for instance, that Senator Thomas principal opponent, Conner Smith, campaigned pri- marily promises of higher WPA wages and larger old-age pensions, and in way spoke ill of MT Roosevets leadership. And the man who ran third did urging the people to march forward with Mar land and Roosevelt" He wasn't poor third because he 100 percent New Dealer but because Okla homa voters thought he had been poor Governor
 While Oklahoma's primary proceeding with sound and fury Indiana Democrats reached new heights-or depths-of harmony in their State con- vention.
 The McNutt-Townsend Democratic State ma chine, after spending years in planning to send Senator Frederick Van Nuys to political oblivion and after using to the limit his opposition to President Roosevelt's Supreme Court plan in an attempt to destroy him, gave him renomnation by accama ton amid loud if synthetic enthusiasm. And Senator Van Nuys beray buttered those who tried to destroy him with speech in which he said:
 Under the matchless leadership of former Gov ernor McNutt Governor Townsend and President Franklin D. Roosevelt have almost completely solved the present complex situation
 We aren't whether Senator Van Nlys de- serves medal for subtle for heaping coals of fire the heads of his enemies He knows of course, that they renominated him only because they found that they couldn't safely refuse He would have independent split the party probably elected Republican Senator and so messed up the 1S40 chances of MT. MeNutt whom the Indiana convention indorsed for President
 But of two things we're pretty certain The "matchless leadership of Messrs McNutt Townsend and Roosevelt did solve complex situation for Senator Van Nuys And MT. Roosevelt might be even happier he reads the Oklahoma returns to- day, if he hadn't let the Indiana politicians represent him to the country patron of their abortve scheme to get Van Nuys.