Evening star., 1938-06-05
Iowa Votes Tomorrow.


First, there is the question whether a
Democratic Senator who opposed Presi-
dent Roosevelt's court bill is to be killed
OF. Second, there is the question of the
ability of the New Deal administration
in Washington to determine the selec-
ton of candidates in a party primary
irrespective of the wishes of the Demo-
Gratis within State. Third, there is
a question of supremacy as between the
regular Democratic national organiza-
ton anl the "Corcoran Cadets"
Senator Gillette incurred the wrath
Of the administration when he declined
to 60 along on the court bill last year.
He is the first of the group of Demo-
cratic Senators who, with the aid of the
handful of Republicans in the Upper
House, forced the abandonment of that
measure, to come up for denomination.
If the administration is to make a
purge of all those Democrats who
fought the President on this bill, and
to make 1t successfully, it is necessary
to get in the first blow. The result of
the primary fight may give an excellent
indication OF what is to happen to Sem
ators George of Georgia, Smith of South
Carolina, McCarran of Nevada, Van
Nuys Of Indiana and so on down the
line.
Just why the administration, as rep
resented by Thomas G. Corcoran and
others OF his group, settled upon Rep
resentative Wearin to stick the knife into
Senator Gillette is not so easy to under
stand. MIR. Wearin, although he has
been member of the House for the last
three Congresses, has not been an out
standing figure. AS the records disclose,
he has been as often opposed to the
Presidents legislative program as has
Senator Gillette. Both were elected
to the House in 1882, when Iowa went
Democratic for the first time since 1912
and the Bull Moose split in the
G. O. P-and the second time since the
Civil War. In 1884 both were reelected.
Two years later Gillette was elected to
the Senate and Wearin was returned to
the House. In 1888 both gentlemen
voted against the N. r. A. and against
the administrations farm bill. the orig
inal A. A. A. They both voted against
the Bankhead cotton control act, but
supported all other important admins
tration measures, in 1894.
During their service in the House, 1888
to 1897, Gillette voted for thirteen major
legislative proposals of the President.
against four and was not recorded on
two. Wearin voted for fourteen of these
measures and against five. There was
not much to choose It seems entirely
clear that the opposition of the admin
istration to Gillette is based, therefore,
on his record in the Senate, where he
voted to send the court bill back to COM
mittee, voted against the wage-hour
bill, and although he voted for the re-
organization bill he supported amend
ments distasteful to the President.
Wearin, on the other hand, during the
present Congress has gone right along
with the President.
The New Dealers in Washington-in-
cluding Harry L. Hopkins, w. p. A. ad-
ministrator - turned thumbs down on
Senator Gillette this spring. While Post
master General Farley, chairman of the
Democratic National Committee, was
proclaiming mo reprisals" against the
court bill opponents, hoping thus to pre-
vent serious split in the party, the New
Dealers went right ahead with their plans
to undermine Gillette and all the others
who voted as he did. This New Deal out
mt would not get to first base in these
strictly political matters If it were not for
the fact that the Presidents personal
feelings are closely involved. He would
like to see these recalcitrant Senators
defeated-although he insists he is tax
ing no part in primary contests. For
that reason, Messrs. Corcoran ct al.
~>~'S ~SS@AA Ao CesoJ w 6dAl btlC 1ICSlQGUtS
ear in their campaign of killing of DEM
ocratic Senators.
In Iowa the attempt of the "Corcoran
Cadets" to down Senator Gillette has
aroused considerable resentment among
the local Democrats. The State organi-
zation, headed by Gov. Kraschel, is
working for Gillette. Senator CLYDE L,
Herring has announced he is voting for
his senatorial colleague. Herring is the
Democratic national committeeman for
the State
There Is more than q suspicion that
Chairman Farley Of the national COM
mittee would be quite well satisfied II Mr..
Corcoran took tumble in his first major
political activity and the primary should
90 for Gillette tomorrow. After all. Mr..
Farley has been accustomed in the past
to having the President rely upon his
advice In matters political.
----s-ses->-