Evening star., 1938-05-17
THE POLITICAL
MILL
BY C. GOULD LINCOLN.

Earle for Senator does not come as a
complete surprise. There were rumors
that such q move was on foot last week.
Whether Gov. Earle was himself In on
the deal or not, there is reason to be-
Ieve that the thing had not escaped the
attention of some of his close friends.
Gov. Earle yesterday Immediately
rushed into print with statement de-
nouncing the Farley proposal. He was
forced to take this position or lose the
support of members Of the Democratic
organization who have stood firm with
him against the incursion OF John Lewis
into Democratic leadership in the State,
and against Senator Guffey, who has
cast in his lot with Lewis. His indigna-
ton sounds real enough. There 1s too,
the matter of the fall election when, II
Earle is nominated for Senator, he must
run against his Republican opponent.
probably Senator James j. Davis. If
his Democratic friends who have been
opposed to the Lewis Guffey kennedy
ticket believed that he, Earle, had dou-
blecrossed them, his chances In Novem-
ber would be considerably lessened.
The feelings of Mayor 8. Davis Wilson
Of Philadelphia the senatorial candidate
on the ticket with Kennedy, are easy to
imagine-providing always that some
other deal has not been made with
Mayor Wilson to assuage those feelings.
Wilson, according to Farley. Is to be
dumped overheard for the sake of party
harmony Mayor Wilson has lost no
Wilson, by the way. who spilled the
cfN To
900 from Matt McCloskey, successful
in the city. Unless Wilson has been
taken care of. the Mayor may make it
difficult for Kennedy to get many votes
in the City of Brotherly Love.
Jim" Farley's statement yesterday,
urging the Democrats to forget their
differences and nominate Kennedy and
Earle-for the sake of harmony-is an
amazing open admission that the admin
istration is worried sick over this PENN
sylvania row. 1t has been Mr.. Farleys
boast that the Democratic National
Committee, including its chairman, does
not mix in Democratic primary contests,
but leaves them to the Democrats of the
individual States. His protests along
that line have been taken with grain
Of salt. But after this PENNSYLVANIA
statement they will not be credited at all.
AS matter of fact, it was quite ap-
parent that the administration and Mr..
Farley were mixing up in the Florida
primary in the interests of Senator
Pepper. The President himself has
backed candidates in the Kentucky, Wis
consin and California primaries. The
declaration by Farley in the interest of
kpnnpHV and Eorlo &c rouorIad
pressing the views of the President him.
self-and probably was so intended in
order to bolster the chances of Kennedy
on one factional ticket and Earle on the
other.
1t appears that Farley-and the Presi-
dent-finally decided to do something
desperate to aid their friend Joe" Guf-
fey, who was denied the gubernatorial
nomination by Earle, State Chairman
Lawrence. McCloskey and other Penn
sylvania Democratic leaders, and who
has sought to save his own bacon by
joining with John L. Lewis.
While Gov. Earle has shouted out loud
against the proposed Farley dealt is
noticeable that Kennedy has maintained
silence. Decidedly Mr.. Kennedy must
be of the opinion that Mr.. Farley's aid
is most timely-particularly as it seems
to carry with it the presidential bless
ing. It was Kennedy whose fate ap-
peared to be in doubt-not Gov. Earle's.
The Governor was always regarded as
sure winner against Mayor Wilson in
the senatorial primary.
If Kennedy wins the gubernatorial
nomination-Mr. Farley and the admin
istration will take credit for putting him
across. At least. whether Kennedy wins
or not, Farley's Endorsement of the c. I.
o. candidate should give Farley good
talking point when he comes to discuss
politics with John L. Lewis. II Lewis
and his candidate. Kennedy, win in to-
days primary, and Kennedy later should
be elected Governor Of Pennsylvania,
Lewis will be sitting on top OF the heap
in Democratic politics. Kennedy has
declared that he will be the Governor
Of Pennsylvania, not John Lewis But
the general opinion Is that Lewis will
run the State and the Democratic party
there. That is one reason most Of the
party leaders have been so strongly
opposed to Kennedys nomination.
If Kennedy becomes Governor, John
Lewis will control in all probability the
big delegation which Pennsylvania will
name and send to the Democratic Ma
tional Convention two years hence. Far
ley will be in a better position, having
indorsed Kennedy and Lewis, to do busi-
ness with Mr.. Lewis at that time.
X X Y X
Farley's declaration may be smart
politics. Even If Kennedy is defeated,
Farley will be able to say to Lewis:
II did the best could for your man."
There has been a fear that Lewis. II
Kennedy were finally turned down,
might hop to the Republican nominee
for Governor should that nominee be
Clifford Pinchot. If that happened, the
Democrats might as well give up hope OF
electing a Democratic Governor THIS
year in Pennsylvania.
Charles Alvin Jones, the guberna-
torial candidate on the ticket with Gov.
Earle in today's primary, IS expected by
Mr.. Farley to take with good grace his
toss out of the window, for the sake OF
the Democratic party. Perhaps he will.
Jones was the hand-picked candidate
of Lawrence, McCloskey, Earle and other
lesser leaders. He is not political force
in himself, has no personal following.
The ugly charges of graft and corrup-
ton which have been launched by
Charles j. Margiotti, the attorney gen.
eral whom Earle recently ousted, If sub
stantiated later, would make Jones and
his hackers look pretty sick. The State
Supreme Court may still permit the
Grand Jury of Dauphin County Harris-
burg) to 60 ahead with its investigation
Tn