Evening star., 1938-03-11
THE POLITICAL
MILL
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.


way, might cast their eyes toward Seattle
and its recent mayoralty contest. That
city, which has been about as radical as
any in the country, turned a flip flop
Tuesday and threw the c. I. O. candi-
date for mayor for big loss. Arthur
B. Langlie, running on a conservative
ticket, beat 1t. Gov. Victor A. Meyers,
supported by the Left Wing Washington
Commonwealth Federation and by the
c. I. o. and some A. F.. of L. unions, with
vote of $4,000 to $4,000. This was a
wide margin, particularly when it is
understood that the latest mayor of
Seattle was John F. Dore. backed by
labor.
1t was not so very long ago that the
c. l. o. candidates for mayor and for
city councilmen in Detroit were taken
for ride by the voters of that city. Yet,
Notwithstanding these reverses, John
Lewis is preparing to plunge OH the
Pennsylvania gubernatorial campaign,
putting 1t. Gov. Thomas Kennedy in
the race for the Democratic nomination.
The Democratic bosses of the State have
picked Charles Alvin Jones, Pittsburgh
lawyer, who has been described by David
Stern, Philadelphia publisher, as kind
OF Caspar Milquetoast, to be pushed
around by the bosses. One Of the bosses,
Senator Joe Guffey, opposed Jones
candidacy. but was overruled. Since then
Guffey has been sulking in his tent like
Achilles. 1t has been suggested he may
throw in with John Lewis in this fight
for control. 1t is difficult to see how
he can save much out of the ruck by
such maneuver.
X
The only open move that President
Roosevelt has made in this Pennsylvania
tangle was to announce that he needed
Joe Guffey in the Senate" and to urge
the Democratic leaders in conference
with him not to nominate Guffey for
Governor. If reports are true, they needed
no urging, which makes the gesture of
the President all the more mysterious.
Perhaps it was designed to convince the
LeWis-Kennedy outfit that they, too
should be magnanimous and give up
gubernatorial ambitions. If anything of
the kind was intended, it apparently did
not work.
The c. I. o. leader, who halls from
Illinois, not Pennsylvania perhaps has
come to the conclusion it is time for the
G. I. Q. to make itself felt in an election
Or give up the idea of having the or
ganization go into politics. In Seattle
and Detroit, where the c. I. O. was
bumped, special conditions involving the
g. l. o. had aroused the people against
that organization. The voters were fed
up, and they took it out on the labor
leaders.
1t. Gov. Kennedy, who is secretary
treasurer Of the United Mine Workers
OF America, is spoken of highly by both
Democrats and Republicans in Pennsyl-
vanla. There are lot of them, however.
VINO do not wish to see Kennedy made
Governor, with the C. I. o. taking con-
troll in the state house. And among the
opponents OF Mr.. Kennedy will be found
fighting members Of the American Fed
Grafton Of Labor. The A. F.. of L. has
not buried the hatchet with the C. I,
q. If the Kennedy candidacy continues,
the rival labor organization may under
take to bury the hatchet "in" the CLIO.
All kinds OF claims are made regarding
the strength both of the C. 1. O. and
the A. F. of L. in Pennsylvania. It seems
perfectly clear. however, that if the older
organization determines to fight Ken
nedy, the labor vote will be widely split.
making it impossible for Kennedy either
to win the Democratic nomination. or to
be elected Governor if he is nominated.
This Pennsylvania fight is full of
political dynamite. The Earle admins
tration is none too popular in the State,
and becoming less popular as the days
or hv IF tho nor1nrrofc fo1l of
another, and the Republican nominate
candidates acceptable to the great mass
of voters, including large part of labor.
it is possible that the State may again
become Republican. That would not
administration in Washington. Up to
date the Republicans have shown little
and they promise fight in their own
ranks. Former Gov. Clifford Pinchot is
seeking a third term as Governor, and
it is likely he will have far greater
support among the old line Republicans
than in the past. If he can get fair
proportion Of the labor vote-With which
he was at one time strong-and substan-
tial support in the rural communities, he
may get along very well. For he will get
more votes in Philadelphia, it is said,
than ever before.
The course of President Roosevelts
bill for the reorganization of the
Government in the Senate has grown
rougher and rougher with the passing
days. The debate is running along lines
not unlike those which accompanied the
Presidents effort last year to revamp the
Supreme Court Of the United States
and many of the Senators who opposed
the court bill are in line today against
the reorganization bill. They do not
like to turn over such great powers to
the Chief Executive, over the govern
mental machinery, permitting him to
consolidate, or to wipe out Government
agencies which Congress itself has
created by law.
Senator Wheeler Of Montana, leader
of the anti-court bill cohorts last year,
has assailed the reorganization bill, de-
claring that certain phases OF 1t are
"dictatorial." Senator Burke of Nebraska,
another of the court bill foes, Senator
Byrd of Virginia and many other Demo-
Gratis are lining up strongly against the
reorganization bill. The measure will
have strong opposition, too, from the
Republican side of the chamber, where
Vandenberg of Michigan has already
assailed it vigorously. Borah Of Idaho
is opposed to the grant Of so much power
to the President.
44++
Not in the memory of old observers at
the Capitol has there been so much op-
position to congressional investigation
of any subject, body or group OF men as