Evening star., 1938-10-24
VAN NUYS VICTORY
SEEN IN INDIANA
Republicans Shout Graft
and Corruption in Vain
Against Democrats.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN,
Star STAFF CORRESPONDENT.

osdtcS ocildle vi NUNeIIlDeT q oSIldtOf
Frederick Van Nuys, who threatened
In the spring and early summer to
expose the bosses.
In vain the Republicans, who are
backing Raymond E. Willis, country
editor, against Senator Van Nuys,
shout graft and corruption" and quote
Senator Van Nuys himself against the
~State House machine" The Demo-
cratic organization, headed by Gov.
Clifford M. Townsend, Democratic Ma
tional Committeeman Frank McHale,
Senator Minton-with former Gov.
Paul McNutt in the background-is
tremendously strong and is well heeled
with money from the famous Two
Per Cent Club" In addition, the ma
tional Democratic organization is put
ting on the heat to elect the Demo-
cratic ticket. and there is a vast
amount of Federal money pouring into
the State.
Forced to Swallow Senator.
Neither the Democratic State ma
chine nor the New Dealers in WASH
tngton have any love for Senator Van
Nuys They both were forced, how
Hver, to swallow the Senator. Senator
Van Nuys' double threat was to run
Is an independent candidate, which
probably would have resulted in the
election Of Republican. and to lay
before the public proof of corruption
md graft on the part of members Of
The State House gang"
Although the New Dealers in WASH
mgton might have been willing to see
Republican succeed Senator Van
Nuys, nevertheless they disliked the
idea. Also, former Gov. McNutt, who
has presidential aspirations for 1910,
and Gov. Townsend, who would like
either to become Vice President, in
the event Mr.. McNutt fails to get first
place on the national ticket, or to 20
TO the Senate, we're both greatly
anxious to avoid Democratic defeat
IN Hoosierdom this year They de-
cided at the llth hour to accept Sen
ator Van NuyS as a candidate
Insists He Made No Deal.
Probably no one was more surprised
than Senator Van Nuys himself when
he heard about the capitulation of the
Townsend forces. Anyway. he came
along and took the senatorial nomina-
ton at the hands of the machine
dominated Democratic Convention. He
insists he made no deal. The Repub-
licans, in reply constantly pop ques-
tions at him about the expose he had
promised to make as an independent
candidate. Senator Van Nuys' reply
Is that the Democratic party itself is
perfectly capable of cleaning house in
Indiana. Nothing further is heard
from him, in his public statements
about the rottenness of the State House
organization.
Republicans, who had been enthused
over Senator Van Nuys because he
fought the President and his court bill
last year, were ready to vote for the
reelection of the Senator. Many of
them signed up, declaring they would
support him. Most of them have
turned against Senator Van Nuys, in
sisting that he has become an ally"
OF the State House gang
Gov. Townsend and his immediate
following were reluctant to Withdraw
their opposition to Senator Van Nuys,
according to reports here, and Mr.. Nc
Mutt had to crack down hard to bring
them into line. The Democratic
leaders insist today, however, that all
groups are supporting Senator Van
Nuys and there will be no Cutting"
IT some Of the ardent New Dealers
forsake the Senator they will be the
exception. not the rule.
Threatened Exposure.
In the early days Of the year, when
Senator Van Nuys political death had
been decreed by the Townsend organ
'sation, the Senator said, Il can name
cne city in Indiana where the Mayor.
chief OF police, prosecutor, sheriff. city
attorney criminal judge and other Off
Gals were given stock, free, in a corpo.
ration created at the State House to
hold port OF entry beer permit" On
another occasion he declared that he
would prove beyond a doubt that
Democratic State administration leader
reported earnings of $4,000 for 1887
to the 1ntarnal Revenue Bureau. He
had. ne said. copy of this mans in
come tax return. He attacked the
Two Per Cent Club" as illegal. Again,
ne said: In September I will tell the
people OF Indiana how some of their
public servants have prof1ted to the
tune of thousands of dollars through
political manipulation and how the
political gangsters have sought to
subdue me-
These were fighting words. The
State House organization climbed
down. When Senator Van Nuys was
nominated at the Democratic State
Convention in July he said that "un-
der the tremendous leadership of for
mer Gov. McNutt, of Gov. Townsend
and Franklin Delano Roosevelt in
washington we have almost solved this
complex situation (the collapse of the
economic system)-and so today Join
with Gov. Townsend in appealing to
the good citizenship of Indiana to
rally to our standard and restore to
the State and Nation peace, happiness
and prosperity to all classes Of our
citizenship"
G. o. P. Accomplishing Little.
WnaJ an antl-cllmax, say the Re-
publicans. They are making the most
of this issue against Senator Van Nuys.
but, beyond lining up their own people,
seem to be accomplishing little. Next
to the State House gang issue, the
G. O. p. is relying upon the discon-
tent OF the farmers because of the low
prices OF corn and other crops and
upon the disfavor with which some of
the farmers regard the Hull trade
agreements. which, the Republicans
insist, have permitted large importa-
tions to compete with American pro-
duction.
Both Democrats and Republicans
say that there has been shift awav
from the Democratic New Deal cause
In the rural districts, but the Repub-
licans, as we'll as Democrats, also saw