Evening star., 1938-12-01
The Political Mill
Conservative vs.. Progressive Fight in 6. o. P.
Emphasized by Simpson Case

of the old conservative group wheth-
er 1t deserves 1t or not. To Offset
the Hastings election to the Execu-
tive Committee 1t Is pointed out
that q liberal from South Dakota,
Harvey Jewett, H.. was given an
other place on the Executive Com
mittee. It does not make sense.
Herald Tribune Views.
The New York Herald Tribune,
regarded as the most consistently
Republican daily newspaper in the
country, commenting editorially on
the Simpson incident in the nation
al committee, says in part:
"The idea of progress is still
tough bullet for the reActionary
Republican leader to chew. He goes
to Washington for the national
committee meeting, his eyes gleam-
ing with high excitement over great
victories just won by young and
open-minded candidates and radi-
ating hope at every pore. But make
a mild gesture Of advance by elect
ing new blood to the Executive
Committee in the person Of Mr..
Simpson, who is nobody except the
leader who restored the party to
the political map in the crucial
State Of New York, and our bold
warrior trembles with fright.
1T is too bad, of course. As
Republican newspaper we hoped
that even a national committee
might see handwriting as large as
that written last November 8. But
we are not exactly surprised. Moth
ing could be palmer than that the
standpatters are still powerful In
the party and have still to learn
their first lesson in progress"
This is strong language, coming
from the New York Herald Tribune.
That the Democratic press will make
far more Of the incident goes with
out saying. Despite the many
changes in the Republican National
Committee in recent years there is
still a very sizable group OF those
who either were part and parcel
of the old guard-to the core-and
of those whose sympathies were en-
tirely with the old guard. They
have had a Whit of victory, and it
is scarcely strange they should seek
again to take the lead.
DR.. Franks Job.
DR.. Glenn Frank, chairman Of
the Program Committee set up by
the national committee in 1887,
made a preliminary report at the
committee meeting here. The COM
mittee is intent upon doing con-
structive job, with its efforts CEN
tering about concrete proposals,
after consultation with rank and
file opinion. If the Program Com
mittee can come forward with a
concrete proposal for dealing with
the farm problem-a proposal that
will appeal to the farmers of the
country-a great step will have been
made toward Republican victory in
1910.
The Republicans gathering here
for the national committee meeting
quite naturally had something to
say-among themselves and not par
ticularly for publication-about pos
sible presidential candidates in 1910.
New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania
all have their possibilities" Mr..
Kenneth Simpson was saying very
little on the record about the En-
pire States offerings. He has two
horses" in the stalls and thinks
well of them both-Representative
Bruce Barton, who has just been
reelected, and Thomas E. Dewey,
racket buster, who came so near
defeating Gov. Lehman. Mr.. Simp-
son is waiting, apparently, to see
how they shape up during the next
year before getting on the band
wagon of either.
Ohio members of the national
committee said the Buckeye State
also has two potential presidential
candidates - Senator r-elect Robert
Taft and Gov.-elect John Bricker.
There, too, the inclination at pres