Evening star., 1938-09-05


namely Republican participation in
Democratic primaries-becomes wholly
moral today when Democratic Presi-
dent says he feels he has a right to
advise Democrats to support liberal
Republicans" and that voters should
consider that 1.-The good of the country
rises above party"
The people of the State of Idaho
can truthfully appeal to Mr.. Roose-
welt for an apology, because they have
a primary law which specifically per-
mits voters of either party to enter
the primaries at will. Indeed, the law
was adopted for the very purpose of
preventing party primaries from being
confined to the machine politicians
and their henchman and to let the
free air Of voter independence filter
in when fundamental issues were at
stake.
Emphasizes State Rights.
What Mr.. Roosevelt denounced was
something that had been expressly
provided for under the laws of SOW
ereign State. He now says he thinks
every State should be permitted to
work out its own plans. He was re-
ferring especially to the $50 a week
plan in California of which he dis
approves, but he emphasizes the right
OF State to try experiments Ger
talnly, Idaho has a similar right to
try experiments with primary laws
without mourning the harsh criticism
Of being called politically immoral"
The 'open primary" system is in ef-
feet not only in Idaho, but in Min
nesota, Montana, Washington and
Wisconsin.
What is interesting, however, in the
Presidents new declaration is that
'if there is good liberal running on
the Republican ticket, I would not
have the slightest objection to his
election" This raises a novel ques-
tion as to whether the President was
referring to Republican primaries, or
to final elections when once the
nomination has been made. Assum-
ing that he means he is willing to
support Republican nominee as
against Democrat who has won his
party's nomination, the President is
merely. reiterating the position he
took in 1895 when, after Democratic
primary had been held and the NOM
ination of a candidate for United
States Senator had been completed in
the normal way. Mr. Roosevelt de-
cided to support the candidacy of
Senator Norris.
Willing to Split Party.
Thus Mr. Roosevelt's new doctrine
Is that if the Democratic party has
fight within its ranks and the New
Deal candidate is defeated, the ad-
ministration feels free to support a
Republican nominee if he is New
Dealish
Certainly Democratic State and
local leaders throughout the United
States cannot get much comfort out
OF such a pronouncement from the
"head of the Democratic party" 1t
means that Mr. Roosevelt is quite
willing to split his own party and
then, rather than accept in sports
manlike fashion the results of
party primary, he feels he has the
right to throw his support and that
Of the New Deal machine to some
Republican who might in the Presi-
dents judgment provide better mate
rial for the rubber stamp process than
the Democrat who won his nomina-
tion by reason of his refusal to be
rubber stamp and over the admin
tstration's protest.
The President is dealing mostly with
theoretical and academic politics
when he starts talking about support
Ing liberals on the Republican side
versus Democrats who are "conserva-
tives." If local party organizations
had no influence in elections and if