Evening star., 1938-09-17

dent Roosevelt after speaking in Geor-
gia and urging the defeat of Senator
George, expressed to George the hope
that they would always be friends. 1t
is a little bit difhcult, however, for
any man to continue as a friend to
the leader Of his party who sought
his political death, and worked for it.
Temporarily, at least. the war crisis
in Europe has turned the spotlight
from the debacle Of the presidential
purge of Democrats who failed to go
along with the Chief Executive. But
while that may be a break for the
administration, the intensity of the
presidential drive against the more
conservative Democrats has not been
forgotten-by the conservative Demo-
Gratis.
Barkley Possible Target.
A few Of them would like to hit back
at the President by outsting Senator
Alben w. Barkley Of Kentucky from
the leadership of the Upper House.
But the general opinion is that no such
attempt will be made Unless there
I'D Ola ottCllpb W SllllG lcdOSIS, I11eTe
will be no election and Barkley will
just continue along. Some Of the
conservative Democrats take the posi-
ton that the game would not be worth
the candle and therefore they would
oppose an effort to oust Barkley.
They say also that for their purposes
which may be opposition to some
0f fho DroSidont'c eJoti
-Barkley is all right as a leader.
They do not fear him. They point to
the fact that they have beaten him
in the past. Further. if one of their
number were elected leader of the
Senate. there is always the chance
that he might feel it incumbent upon
himself to represent the views of the
White House-being constantly called
to confer with the President and the
other party leaders. No" they say,
we prefer to let well enough alone"
Which means that they are inclined
to do nothing about Barkley in the
leadership.
There is another factor. Senator
Barkley has already been touted as
pOooADlO AL
1940 Since his denomination in a
fierce clash with Gov Happy"
Chandler-and by very large ma
jority-the aspirations of the Ken
lucky Senator have increased along
those lines, it is said If Senator
Barkley is to be a candidate for the
presidential nomination, he may be
more careful about treading on the
toes of Democratic Senators, con-
servative though they be, who will
control in large part their State dele
cations to the 1910 national con-
vention.
Opposition Would Be Difficult.
Opponents of Senator Barkley would
have great difficulty lining up enough
Senator's to make q real showing
against Barkley, If an election of a
leader were held. 1t is one thing
for the conservative Democrats, unit
ing with the Republicans, to over
come recommendations of the Presi-
dent for legislation which they be-
lieve unconstitutional or unwise. It
Is another thing for them to muster
strength enough to defeat the Presi-
dent in a party caucus. The proba-
bilities are that the opponents of
Barkley would be showed under if
they made the attempt to unhorse
him.
Senator Joseph W. Guffey of Penn
sylvania, the first Democrat to de-
mand purge" Of Democratic Sena-
tors after the rejection of President
Roosevelt's court bill, has just re-
turned from Europe. He said that
he did not believe that the defeat
of the purge" would injure either
the President or the Democratic party.
Further, he handed out statement
predicting that President Roosevelt
would be given third term by the
people-that they would insist upon
his denomination. He is for the
Presidents renomination-and he
was for the purge. He may be just