Evening star., 1938-08-09

Qe1eated, the ma
jority leadership would have gone to
Senator Pat Harrison of Mississippi,
the man who logically deserved the
post. but who was beaten by one vote
through the political Vaccinations Of
the President himself just after Sena-
tor Robinson died. The story Of that
one vote is being told and retold on
Capitol Hill as the principal political
blunder Of Mr.. Roosevelt's career.
Things have not gone we'll with his
cause in the Senate ever since, and
Q steady strengthening Of the rebellion
on the Democratic side has been noted.
Had Mr.. Barkley been defeated for
denomination, the leadership mantle
undoubtedly being given to Senator
Harrison, a different lineup would
have come into effect. because the
situation would have called for a GER
tain amount OF reconciliation between
the opposing camps. In view Of the
fact that the Democrats would natu-
rally want to present united front
in 1910. the selection Of Senator Har-
rlson as peacemaker would have been
q ten-strike. 1t would have involved
some concessions on the Presidents
part. but his capitulation in the case
Of Senator Van Nuys shows that, when
practical political situations confront
him. Mr.. Roosevelt has not forgotten
all that Jim Farley and his earlier
adviser, the late Louis McHenry Howe,
taught him.
Reaction Favors Opposition.
The plight Of Senator Barkley now
only gives aid and comfort to the
oppoeition-the Republicans and the
true liberals on the Democratic side
who see in many Roosevelt policies
the gradual concentration of all power
In the hands Of a political oligarchy
such as the Tories In England &C.
complished and such as Nazi-ism in
Germany and Fascism in other die
tator countries have developed as the
new technique in government.
For one thing, Mr.. Barkley's influ-
ence on the Dem mocratic side has been
impaired. The impression has been
widely spread that, except for Mr.
Rooeevelt's helping hand, Mr.. Bark
ley could not have beaten Gov. Chan
der. A majority leader who isn't any
stronger than that loses prestige
among the members Of his party. For
It means that there Is something
stirring among the voters, and par
ticallarly among the State political
machines, which, in many instances,
do not see eye to eye with the ma
tional administration. Here again We
observe the Ill effects Of the policies
of the amateurs who sit at Mr.. Roose-
velt's elbow and the Illustration of
much of the work done by Jim Farley
to keep peace between the State or
carnations and the national admin
1stration.
Purges Beget Cleavages.
The purge" idea, invented by the
Corcorans and aided and abetted by
the Hopkinses and the 1ckeses, has
come closer to splitting the State and
city Democratic organizations away
from the national administration than
any political issue. Organization Dem
ocrats do not like "purges." They
know that purges can be worked
against either side, and that the
moment the Federal political ma
chine begins bucking the State Or
ganizations there Is bound to be q
cleavage which will reflect itself In
the final elections Harmony certain
ly is the first thing the practical
ctytHr ~ atf ~
union is always a matter Of acci-
dent rather than deliberate intent.
The purge" campaign means more
dissension inside the Democratic party,
but it makes the achievement of har-
mony inside the Senate in particular
an almost impossible task for even the
most skillful Of leaders, which Sena-
tor Barkley is not Left to himself,
he might have made great leader,
for his instincts are good and he is a
straightforward individual who likes
to do the right thing. Steered. how
ever. in this direction and that by the
President. or rather by the amateurs
who do the Presidents political think
ing nowadays, no leader can expect
GO keep harmonious front.
Prestige a Question.
Thus, suppose most Of the Demo-
cratic Senators who now have been
the victims of purge campaigning
come back to their seats in the Senate.
How much trust can they put in Mr..
Barkley's consultations with them on
legislative matters when they know
he represents the leader Of the party
who has tried to stab them in the back
politically or who has wanted to i'm
pose the death sentence upon their
political lives? How much prestige
will Senator Barkley, as ma jority lead
er. have in speaking on the floor Of
the Senate? This embarrassing sit
uation Is bound to rebound to the ad-
vantage Of the opposition. As, indeed,