Evening star., 1938-10-13

vents TN q I II nc
were national chairman he would 90
as Mr.. Farley has been doing, Ihere
has been as a consequence q good deai
of puzzlement as to why the Presl-
dent. or the head of the Democratic
party" cannot have any influence
nowadays with the national chairman.
Usually a national chairman OF the
party in power takes orders from the
man in the White House.
In this instance, however, there isn't
the slightest suggestion that Mr.. Far
lev Is disobeying orders. but that he
is acting with the full approval Of the
President. In other words, it's all right
kor the Democratic national chairman,
who operates the party machinery, TO
support all Democrats, but the Presi-
dent could, if he liked, pick and choose
and even support liberal Republicans.
Roosevelt Withholds Aid.
Now, however. not word OF help
has come from the President in behalf
of liberal Republicans and the fear
exists that Mr.. Roosevelt will not
really offer them any aid. despite his
promise 10 the press that he feels
about liberalism so deeply that If a
liberal Republican championed right
principles he would as quickly bestow
upon him the blessing of the White
House as 1t was given to liberal Demo-
Gratis in the late lamented era Of the
purge"
There are only four weeks left to
the congressional campaign and 1t
may be that the administration Will
find a liberal Republican somewhere
to support as proof of its consistency
But liberal Republicans" of the Roose-
veltian type are rather rare, and be-
sides it seems incredible that the
President would favor the election of
some liberal Republican for seat in
the House or the Senate when Chair
man Farley has already Endorsed the
Democratic nominee.
1t Is quite possible, of course. that
the remark about supporting liberal
Republican" was just one of those
impromptu observations which the
President makes in press conferences
aud then regrets afterwards. If he
believes In liberalism as greater force
in American politics than party loyalty,
then he has an opportunity in Wis
consin, for example, to line up with
the Progressive forces as opposed to
his own party candidates. Mr.. Roose-
welt deserted the regular Democratic
nominees in Minnesota and Nebraska
In 1895 and there are really plenty of
opportunities for him to run away from
the party selections on liberal grounds
4f he cares to look for them.
The Purge" Recalled.
The problem that Mr.. Roosevelt faces
Is one of continuing challenge as to
political sincerity, if indeed there is
such phrase nowadays. Mr.. Roose-
welt worked himself into considerable
passion. politically speaking, about con-
servatives in the Democratic party and
called for their purge" as national
necessity.
Now that the primaries are over,
some of these same conservatives who
have Won the party nominations are
running for election. Silence now by
the President is bound to be construed
as meaning that perhaps Mr. Roosevelt
really didn't have any principle at all
in his purge" campaign, but merely
became involved in personal and fac
tional quarrels inside the party It
apparently isn't so easy after all to
look into q mans heart and soul as
the President suggested In a speech
!. in Georgia, and find out very much
about him in a political sense. If II
were an easy matter, the President
might be importuned to classify Chair
man Farley when he readily supports
anybody for ONCE with the Democratic
label irrespective OF the record or ol
the candidates heartbeats on the sub.
Ject of liberalism.
(Copyright. 1887