The Washington times., 1938-05-17
SMITHS RIA C E.
IN S. C. is TEST.
FOR new DEAL.
Johnston Opponent
Of "ConSeNative"
BY EARL GOODWIN

ny EkAHkA NODVAN
The New Deal will run the
gantlet in another Southern
Democratic primary. The oldest
Democrat in the Senate in point
Of service, Cotton Ed" Smith, of
South Carolina, finds himself op-
posed by his own States governor,
who takes q Claude Pepper atti-
tude and gets on the Roosevelt
bandwagon.
The thing worked so well in
Florida that White House support
is suddenly a treemndous asset,
sought for avidly. The once
spurned o. K. of "Son James" and
the Dear AIben" touch to per-
sonal letters from the President
now are looked on as accoladeS In
another political crusade.
CANDIDATES WILLING
No matter what the chambers
of commerce think about the
President and the New Deal, there
is some leading politician in every
State, it is believed, who Is willing
and eager now to grab the New
Deal ball and run with it.
"Cotton Ed" Smith, South Caro-
lina's veteran, is q conservative
Democrat In a State that has been
completely Democratic.
South Carolina went for AL
Smith when the Protestant dry
South wept and went for Hoover.
There are hardly 1000 Republican
votes in South Carolina, according
to presidential returns. The con-
test is always among Democrats.
In the case Of Senator Cotton
Ed" who came to the Senate on
March 4, 1909, just two years later
than Dean "BiIl' Borah, Of Idaho,
he has been q regular old-time con-
|servative Democrat who has built
up q following and a campaign
system which has functioned faith
fully and efficiently. He Is a great
one for getting jobs for his follow
ers, including his family.
HAS OPPOSED ROOSEVELT
He leans toward the manufactur-
ing and employing interests and
has been conspicuous for his op-
position to President Roosevelt in
some Of the Presidents best loved
measures. That would include the
court fight, some of the Triple A
amendments and the wages and
hours bill.
He has never had any real oppo-
sition from Roosevelt Democrats
because he was elected to this term
before Roosevelt became President
the first time.
His colleague, Jimmy" Byrnes,
has played the game rather can
nily, and has not lost touch with
his own rather conservative follow:
ing. At the same tim e he has
earned the White House gratitude
by his strong leadership for GER
tain New Deal measures, partic-
ularly the reorganization bill,
which was q victor in the Senate
largely through ByrneS' strategy.
Governor Olin Johnston, Of
South Carolina, says he has been
a hundred per cent New Dealer
from the first; he supported
Roosevelt heartily in the 1882
campaign. He announces a can
didacy on q full hundred per cent
record and his promise to support
the President thoroughly, which
lis a contrast to Senator Smiths
position.
PRESIDENTS o. K. SEEN
The fact that Governor John
ston made his announcement at
the White House Immediately aft
er seeing the President gives the
announcement a sort Of White
House blessing. It puts Governor
Johnston in the "Fair-Haired
Boy" class along with Dear Al
ben" Barkley, Senator Pepper, Of
Florida; Senator Duffy, Of Wis
consin; Senator McAdoo, Of Cali
fornia, and Governor Earle Of
Pennsylvania. The o. K. Of Earle
by Chairman James Farley Of the
Democratic national committee
can be taken as q complete ad-
ministration o. K.
At any rate, it makes the Au-
gust primaries in South Carolina
among the most interesting and
probably will result in as hot a
fight as the old Palmetto State
has had since reconstruction days.