Evening star., 1938-01-02


the Presidents court measure in the Sen
ate was, strangely enough, strengthening
OF the Presidents hands with respect to
the rest Of his program. Democratic Sena-
tors who had taken the daring step of
opposing a President belonging to their
party and President who was papular In
the country-these Senators were tmme-
diately afterward, rather eager to show
that while they had opposed the President
on one point, they did not oppose him gen.
orally.
Exceed Convictions.
Democratic Senators who had opposed
the court measure took, Immediately after
ward, an attitude Of supporting the Presi-
dent in other matters to degree that went
beyond their personal convictions. 1t was
in this spirit and for this reason largely,
that the administrators wage and hour
bill was passed in the Senate, rather over
whelmingly in July.
But just when the President was getting
the benefit of this advantage. this leaning
backward Of Democratic Senators in his
favor, he forfeited it by mistake There
had arisen a vacancy on the Supreme
Court. To fill the vacancy Mr.. Roosevelt
appointed Hugo L. Black. He appointed
Mr.. Black without consulting leaders Of his
party in the Senate, or his Cabinet, or
others whom he might have expected to
consult. When Mr. Blacks appointment was
laid before the Senate the Senate-again
in spirit of taking the sting out Of their
previous action in rejecting the Presidents
Court measure-voted overwhelmingly to
confirm the appointment of Mr. Black
However, soon after Mr. Black was ap-
pointed and confirmed, disclosures abous
him arose which, had they been know.
almost certainly would have prevented IT,
President from appointing him, almost ce
tainly would have prevented the Sena
from confirming him. BY this incident
Roosevelt suffered a new loss of prest.
Democratic Senators. who, after vot
against his court proposal, had wishet,
support him so as to make a balai
record, now felt free to oppose him.
October Turn in Tide.
BY about October it was fair to estin
that the Democrats in Congress opp
to much of Mr.. Roosevelt's program, V
at least equal in number to those who;
ported his program. Indeed, by the
of the year it was likely that the mum
OF Democrats who were unsympathetic
much of the Presidents program and ".
Ing to express their dissent on public
calls. was probably little greater thant
number OF Democrats in Congress who CO:
tinued. as In the early years of Mr.. RooS
velts administration, to give unquestionil
support to any measures he sent to Co..
gress. The sign of this condition was til
clear unwillingness of Mr.. Roosevelt's ov..
party in the House to support wage am
hour bill in the form in which the admin
istration had sent it to Congress.
The figures are convincing. A wage
and-hour bill which in July passed the
Senate by 56 to 28-that bill. in modi-
fled form, to be sure was in December
defeated in the House by ZIG to ls8
The ranks Of the Presidents supporters
in Congress were reduced by the con-
spicuous absence Of Senators and Repre-
sentatives whose faithfulness to him had
been an immense asset. The rank of
those who were still willing to accept the
Presidents proposals without question
were reduced to Senators whose names
and records did not command prestige as
high as some who now opposed the Presi-
dents measures.
Thus 1898 begins Politically the most
pregnant immediate condition is the strug-
gle for control of the Democratic party.
Perhaps we should not use so strong a
word as struggle" Let us say it is an
evolution which will determine whether
control of the Democratic party lies with
Mr.. Roosevelt and his supernatural fol-
lowers, or lies with the Democrats who
opposed Mr.. Roosevelt's court proposal, in
creased by some additions since the court
proposal was defeated.
1888 to Decide.
The outcome will be determined in l938
It will be determined mainly in the
Democratic primaries in which Democratic
Senators and Representatives, especially
Senators. come up for denomination.
In the State primaries, which begin in
4LlIlOlS Ill Aplll, ulIlc AtulOCEdLlC S6nACUTS
who opposed the Presidents court proposal
will be up for denomination II they, or
most Of them, win that will be a sign that
control of the Democratic party is pass
ing away from Mr.. Roosevelt, passing back
toward traditional democracy. Similarly,
in other States, 18 Democratic Senators
who supported the Presidents court pro-
posal will come up for denomination. The
outcome with respect to these 1s will not
be 50 decisive as the outcome with respect
to the nine.
But for the aggregate results of the pri-
maries in which ~ Democratic Senators
seek denomination will be deduced q de-
pendable sign as to whether the party Is
still under the domination Of Mr. Roose-
welt and his immediate friends or has
passed back to the domination OF leaders
who are the custodians Of orthodox Demo-
cratic traditions. ,
NJ V~Ak