Evening star., 1938-05-05

in the vdrious States where the ad-
ministration has been supplying public
funds for the last five years.
The Florida result may or may not
be paralleled in all States where con-
tests in the primaries are to be fought
on local issues or where the weight Of
the personality factor has much to do
with the outcome. But the admins
tration's opportunity to secure the re-
nomination of its supporters If it takes
an active part in the fight is better
than even before any contest starts.
= Thus in Florida there was no doubt
of the administration position and
Mr.. Roosevelt's own interest in the
primary election. When the Presi-
dent either directly or indirectly in
dicates preference, it is certain that
the Federal oficeholders will make
the most Of it and see that the in
formation is widely advertised.
Examples of Victory.
Both in Illinois and Indiana, where
most all of the Democrats in the
House Of Representatives have been
administration supporters, they have
been renominated without much diff
Guilty. This to be sure, is being used
now to line up hesitant Democrats in
other States to continue to be rubber
stamps since the reward is whole
hearted administration support in both
the primaries and the final elections.
There are many conservatives who
delude themselves with the notion
that, because here and there through
out the South substantial groups Of
Democrats are at odds with the New
Deal, this represents enough strength
th defeat administration Democrats
in the primaries. The Florida pri-
mary ought to settle that point, and
If it doesn't, then the other primaries
in the Southern States will remove
al doubt For the Florida result is
typical of what may be expected in
this new era of vast quantities Of
public funds in American politics.
Active Coalition Advised.
For nearly three years now 1t has
teen declared by students Of political
trends that there must be a coalition
of Republicans and Democrats who
think alike in opposition to New
Dealism and that this coalition has
to be made effective both In primary
contests and in election campaigns.
In Illinois, there were Republicans
galore who entered the Democratic
primaries in order to administer a
defeat to the Kelly-Nash machine
and to vote for Democratic candi-
date who had opposed the Presidents
plan to pack" the Supreme Court
and there were Republican newspapers
advocating such a course.
In Florida, of course, no such con-
centrated effort was made by any
coalition, but even in the Northern
States the coalition idea will have
to gain good deal more strength
than it has at present if the admins
tration is to be revealed after next
November as substantial loser in the
congressional elections.
In these dispatches yesterday refer
ence was made to the La Toilette
movement, which is to seek to mobilize
left-wing sentiment with the Repub-
ncan and the Democratic parties in
q manner somewhat analogous to that
OF the conservatives. The tactics are
open to any group. The method might
have been successful in Florida if
there had been one candidate agreed
upon by the coalition. But, on the
other hand, there are relatively few
Republican votes in Florida which
could be marShaled for a Democratic
primary.
Will Work in Other States.
The principle of coalition will, how
ever, be useful in helping such Demo-
Gratis as Senator Tydings of Maryland
and Senator Clark of Missouri to win
denomination, for they will have sub
stantial Republican support. So also
will Senator Van Nuys of Indiana
when he runs as an independent after
the Democratic convention, which is
controlled by the administration,
chooses as nominee one who is
friendly to the idea Of rubber-stamp
representation.
Naturally members of Congress are
discussing the Florida primary and the
administration is trying to persuade
Democrats who have bolted the Roose-
velt program to come back into the
fold. Most members are able, however,
TO draw distinction between condi-
tions in Southern States and in North
ern and Western States. Broadly
speaking, however, pump printing"