Evening star., 1938-09-18
FARM-[ABOR|TES,
c. 0. ?. IN BATTLE
Minnesota Contest Due to Be
Merry 0ne-May Hinge
on Democratic Deal.
erec,al Dispatch to The Star.

: MINNEAPOLIS. Mimi, Sept. IL
Minnesota Republicans and Farmer
Laborites are locked in bitter cam
paign battle with the State adminis-
tration and control of the State Legis-
lature at stake.
The race seems so close right now
that the outcome may not be safely
arrived at until the ballots are counted
six weeks hence
One thing that may change the
probable result hinges on whether
President Roosevelt during his recent
visit to his son Jimmy's bedside at
nearby Rochester arranged for a re-
newal of the alliance between his
party and the Farmer-Laborites.
The latter, hard pressed by a re-
luvenated G. o. P, are desperate for
such deal and confidently expect
one will be forthcoming. But no
formal word has been given, and what
transpired at the Rochester con-
ferences has been closely guarded by
those who participated. =
One Of the first to see the President
after he arrived was Gov. Elmer
Benson, third party standard bearer.
1t was considered significant that
later the President received Joseph
Wolf, who, back in 1882 as the States
Democratic national committeeman
helped cement the first close ties be-
tween the two parties.
Gov. Benson, since the pressure
became uncomfortable, has taken
great pains to defend the New Deal
st every opportunity, and even went
out of his way to criticize Alfred
Landon for attacking the national
administration.
Tired of Playing Dual Role
Oddly, prior to the Presidents trip
TO Minnesota. the Democrats held
their big campaign opening party.
with Thomas Gallagher, gubernatorial
candidate, making a stirring speech
in telling how he would run the
state.
Mr.. Gallagher in his keynote care
fully refralned from strongly con-
oemning the Farmer Laborites He
old recommend some changes in the
State government without chastising
those responsible.
But the POSTMASTER at the meeting
pointedly declared that the Mime
sofa Democrats were tired of play
ing DR.. Jekyll in national politics and
Mr.. Hyde in the State"
When If pap,e M, +,,r,,
to talk, he started out like he might
ostraclze the current third-party ad-
Mnlstration, saying:
The time has come to give Min
resota government democratic in
every respect with the elimination of
radicalism OH the one hand and the
prevention of the return of reaction
ary forces on the other, regardless of
the masks these forces now assume
for the purpose of procuring sup
port"
That was as far as he went and
the remainder of his talk was de-
voted to general curative acts deal
ing with unemployment, farm ills, tax
l2vies and the like.
He May Mean Business.
Some observers believe Mr. Gal
lagher means business, emphasizing
that in 1886 when the Democratic
senatorial and gubernatorial candidates
stepped out OF the race in behalf of
the Farmer-Labor entries, who then
went on TO win over the Republicans,
that Mr.. Gallagher continued in his
unsuccessful bid for the State attor-
rey generalship.
But the State is swamped with
rumors about new third party-New
Deal alliance and how it will be eff
fected, with various kinds of Federal
jobs mentioned as bait dor Mr.. GAL
,agher and his fellow candidates.
Meanwhile. the Republicans have
held their State convention, coming
out with a programs designed to at
tract rebelling Farmer-Laborites who
caused an astonishing primary split, |
snd lure supporters of Father Cough
Inns plan for monetary reform as we'll
as line up votes from farl' groups
and labor organizations
The campaign already has produced |
some sensations and one of them CEN
tered around purported letter by the |
stricken Jimmy Roosevelt indorsing
Democrat Gallagher and his fellow
candidates.
When the Presidents personal sec
letary reached Rochester for his oper-
alton, he was faced almost Immediate
~ with published stories whereby he |
was supposed to have written an OBJ |
scure Minneapolis fellow Democrat |
cledging support of Mr Gallagher and |
asserting my confidence and F. D. RS
in yourself, your Democratic loyalty, |
principles. and the same for your
friends and Democrats of Minnesota"
A Merry Contest Seen.
Young Roosevelt issued statement |
saying: I'm afraid somebody has
either played a joke or unfortunate |
trick on Mr.. l.. most emphati- !
cally state that 1 have written no
such letter and wouldn't dream of
taking any part in the Minnesota |
gubernatorial campaign"
Another controversial development
came over Minneapolis meeting of
persons who backed former Gov. HAL |
mar Petersen, who ran a close race
with Gov. Benson in the primary
losing by only 10000 votes.
The secretary of the Petersen VOL
unteer Committee was chairman of
the meeting and there was some great
stress on the reported number of
Farmer-Laborites following through
from the primary split and coming
out for Republican Harold Stassen
for Governor.
There has been much challenging
oack and forth over this incident. The
Republicans undoubtedly interested
several Farmer -Laborites in the move
ment but probably not as many as
they sought. At least, that is what
Gov. Benson's hackers contend.