Evening star., 1938-02-18
THE POLITICAL
MILL
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

the Democrats opposed to the New Deal
might make beginning in Indiana.
There Senator Van Nuys, Democrat, who
incensed the White House and angered
the Democratic organization Of his State.
by his pronounced opposition to Presi-
dent Roosevelt's court bill last year, is
up for denomination and reelection.
What's to prevent the Republicans from
getting back of Van Nuys-giving him
the party Endorsement or actual nomi-
nation, if it desires? Nothing. except
the desire of the Republicans to elect
Senator from their own ranks and the
desire of the G. o. P. to stay alive.
Van Nuys, realizing that Gov. Townsend
and presumably Paul McNutt, who put
Townsend in his present office, are intent
upon defeating him for denomination
and reelection, has announced that
he will be candidate with the intima-
ton he will run as an independent Demo-
crat if the party organization turns him
down. 1t looks like bid for Republican
as we'll as Democratic support. Unfor-
tunately, perhaps for Van Nuys. num-
Der Of Republican aspirants for the Sem
ate seat he now holds are already quietly
in the race for the nomination. Former
Senator James E. Watson is one and
others include Walter Bossert of Liberty
former Republican district chairman and
former head of the Ku Klux Klan in the
State, and Dick Wills of Kokomo. So
the coalition idea, unless these Repub-
licans in Indiana change their present
attitude, does not seem to be doing well.
y y
Republican leaders in Congress, out
side of Senator Vandenberg. shake their
heads over the coalition idea as sug-
gested by the Michigan Senator in his
Lincoln Day address. They do not be-
lieve it will work in Indiana or in New
York, Nebraska, Missouri, Nevada or any
other State where anti-court Democratic
Senators come up for reelection. In
other words, unlike Senator Vandenberg,
they are unwilling to go to the length
OF foregoing the identity of the Repub-
lican party to defeat the New Dealers.
Their attitude is that If the G. O. P. will
just hang on and wait, its day will come
again. They see plenty of trouble al
ready ahead Of President Roosevelt and
his followers-partly due to the depres-
sion and partly due to the new crop
control bill and a real division in the
ranks Of labor.
Nor do these leaders take much stock
in the railing of Gov Aiken of Ver-
mont against the Republican leader
ship" of today. of which Gov. Aiken said
Abraham Lincoln would be ashamed if
he were alive. To them this is an old
story. They interpret the Governors
attack as an attack upon Herbert Hoover
and ALI M. Landon. but they insist that
neither of these gentlemen is leading
the Republican party today. and that
Gov. Aiken should understand that. The
old guardsmen in Congress and for the
most part in the national committee are
out. So they do not see why the Ver-
mont Governor should be so excited over
the leadership of the party tooay. Those
Republicans still holding elective office,
Ike Gov. Aiken himself. are the leaders
OF the party, they insist.
x
coalition of anti-New Deal Repub-
hcans and anti-New Deal Democrats
II 1t means conservative alignment
against the liberal and radical elements
IN the country, these Republican leaders
insist, would get nowhere. They are
convlnced-Just as President Roosevelt
IS conVlnced-that the liberal and radi-
cal voters would outnumber the con-
SerVatlves four or five to one. What the
u. o. F. must do, they hold. is not to
line up with the conservative Demo-
Gratis, but to win to the Republican BAN
ner many OF the liberal and independent
voters. They believe this will be done
Just as soon as the people begin to get
SICK OF the present administration That,
tney maintain. is only matter of time.
Nothlng stays the same. All comes round,
tney maintain, to him who will but
wall: 1t may be so, but on the other
nano' 1t may be long and dreary wait
ing.
Senator Van Nuys' declaration that
ne would go into the Senate race ir-
respective of what might be the atti-
tude OF the McNutt or Gov. Townsend
came almost on the heels of the pub
ncatlon OF plans to give Paul v, Nc
MUTT, former Governor and at present
United States High Commissioner to the
Philippines big reception in the Ma
tlonal Capital next week. Mr.. McNutt is
ambitious. He wants to be President. and
therefore he Is candidate for the DEM
ocratlc nomination for that Office in 1910.
his friends have decided apparently
and probably with his consent-to rush
nm to the fore. hoping to keep him
tnere Tor the next couple of years.
Ihs is a dangerous proceeding. Nc
Mutt will be the target of the brickbats
OF all the other potential candidates.
VINO nave not yet raised their heads.
however it seems to be the plan of cam
palen. He is to be given a reception
mere by Senator Minton of Indiana
~nen ne comes to the Capital to report
10 PRESIDENT Roosevelt on the conditions
IN the Far East. This reception, accord
ing TO all reports. is to be a huge affair.
WIN all important Democrats invited.
ana Dig crowd coming here from In
olana for the occasion. Before McNutt
gets TO washington he plans to stop off
Ia II, OenVer and particularly in Indianapo-
Ms Wnere he will attend the BANQUET
OF the Indiana Democratic Editorial
association. Probably he will be mem
uoneo there as the next Democratic
nominee for President-and his boom
Will have been launched, even before
he gets to Washington.
McNutt has been national commander
OF the American Legion He has been
governor of Indiana. He knows a pood
DIT about politics. Possibly his present
tactics are not so bad as some other
democrats appear to believe. It has
oeen reported he will quit his present
Joo IN the Philippines next Summer and
Nn AnNIr l. ~