Evening star., 1938-07-07
The Political Mill
Peace With Van Nuys Seen Aid to Move to Nominate
McNutt for Presidency.

equally true that Paul McNutt has
no more ardent advocate Of his l.resi-
Dental nomination than Minton Min
ton may be expected to do all in his
power to win New Deal friends to
McNutt. With Minton working on the
New Dealers and Van Nuys working
on the old-style Democrats, McNutt
should make headway-at least that
is the way 1t is figured here and in
Indiana.
State Organization.
McNutt was strong Roosevelt sup
porter always-"after Chicago He
was elected Governor in 1882 when the
President was winning his own place
in the sun He built up tremendous
ly strong Democratic State organiza-
ton in Indiana. Under the State law
he could not stand for reelection, but
he dictated the nomination of Gov.
Townsend in 1886. He supported
strongly Senator Minton for the
Senate in 1884. So the Indiana
Democrats, including Senator Minton,
insist that McNutt should really have
the friendly consideration, at least,
of President Roosevelt and the New
Dealers.
As Governor. McNutt set up a new
deal government of his own. Labor
leaders say his foot slipped, however,
when he ordered out the State troops
to preserve order during industrial
strife. That. they insist, was major
mistake. Nevertheless, the McNutt
administration was not unfriendly to
labor and labor legislation, and his
friends say that he will get his share
Of labor support. Furthermore, he
was at one time national commander
of the American Legion-and there
are a lot Of Legionnaires about.
In 1882 Paul McNutt headed the
Indiana delegation to the Democratic
National Convention. 1t was Roose-
velt against the field-with a deter
mined group out to prevent his nomi-
nation. The Indiana delegation split
all around. some votes going to Ritchie,
some to Newton D. Baker. some to
Smith and some to Roosevelt. There
was a time, after the second ballot
was taken. when McNutt might have
gone long way toward cinching the
nomination for Roosevelt by swinging
the entire Indiana outfit toward him.
But McNutt failed to take the Jump.
That may be one reason why Jim"
Farley turns cold shoulder to the
Indiana leader today.
McNutt May Stay Abroad.
The latest reports are that McNutt
will not return to the United States
for the coming campaign; that he will
leave the islands in October and take
a leisurely way home through Europe,
arriving about the first of the year
1t seems clear enough with such plans
that Mr.. McNutt does not want any,
thing to 60 askew in Indiana in
November.
The return of Senator Van Nuys to
favor with the Indiana organization
is one Of the amazing turns that
politics sometimes takes. The Demo-
Gratis figure that he can be reelected
in big way-that even lot of Re-
publican support has been built up
for him because of his fight against
the court bill. The President himself
never made any direct statement op-
posing the denomination of Van Nuys,
nor did Paul McNutt. It was Gov
Townsend who declared he could not
be renominated, and now the Governor
has done a right about-face. The Re-
publicans, when in State convention
they recently nominated Willis. an
Angola publisher. ditching former Sen
ator Watson, gave the movement for
Democratic party peace a big push
forward
Van Nuys returns to Indianapolis
today. to be welcomed by a delega-
ton from the organization that only
recently was ready to deny him re-
nomination. It had been the Sena-
tors plan to remain on vacation until
after August /; then to start in good
earnest his Independent campaign for
denomination.
Whether the White House approves
these Hoosier political antics has not
been disclosed. The President him