Evening star., 1938-05-19
Primary Lessons.

Politicians are searching the results
of the primary elections in Pennsylvania
for portents of the future, Outstanding
was the defeat of John l.. Lewis and
his c. I. o. in their bid for control OF
the State and the Democratic party OF
PENNSYLVANIA. Mr.. Lewis candidate Tor
Governor, Lieutenant Governor Thomas
Kennedy, made a good run, but lost
bv something like 100000 votes. He was
running against a colorleSs candidate,
who had never held elective Office and
who had no personal following in the
State. He was backed by the Roosevelt
administration, no matter what denials
may be made. The Roosevelt blessing
had been bestowed, in the opinion OF
Pennsylvanians, when the Presidents
politica! generalissimo, jim Farley,
announced for Mr.. Kennedy. There
were other signs that the administration
was back of Mr.. Kennedy-among them
the campaign which was made by the
Third Assistant Postmaster General on
behalf of the c. l. O. candidate.
The slap administered by the Penn
sylvania Democrats to the G. I. O.
must of necessity be extended to the
administration which sought to enter
party primary The speedy manner in
which Chairman Farley of the Demo-
cratic National Committee sought to
assure the voters of Pennsylvania that
they had perfect right to disregard his
advice or that of any other man out
side of the State was significant in it
self The assurance was given, however,
after Mr.. Kennedy had been defeated.
Another outstanding fact developed in
the primary election is that labor is
divided politically this year as we'll
as between the C. I. O. and the American
Federation of Labor in their conflict Of
unions The blow administered John
L. Lewis was administered in part by
William Green and his followers. What
this means for future primaries and
the elections next fall-and in 1910
time alone will show.
Charles Alvin Jones, Pittsburgh lawyer
who was catapulted into the guber-
material contest by the Democratic
State leaders-except Senator Guffey
and Publisher j. David Stern-faced
not only the opposition of the c. I. O..
of the administration and Of Senator
Guffey, the administrations mouth
piece in Pennsylvania, but had to carry
on his back the onus of graft and
corruption charges leveled at his princi-
pal supporters, Messrs. Lawrence, Nc
Closkey, Kelly and even Governor Earle.
These startling charges, advanced by
no less person than the man whom
Governor Earle had named attorney
general of the State, seemingly had
little or no effect on the outcome of
the primary election. At least they
did not sink the candidate and his
faction against whom the charges were
made. The people of Pennsylvania seem
to have become hardened-as in other
States-to charges of improper spend
ing of money to influence elections or
legislation. One of the blots on the
New Deal is that the people appear to
have become more and more callous to
such things.
Whether the Roosevelt administration
will take to heart this reputation of
the demand from Washington that the
voters nominate a candidate favored
In Washington remains to be SEEN The
administration took great courage from
a recent victory in Democratic pri-
mary in Florida, where its fair-haired
boy was the winner-after Endorsement
by the Presidents son and after a
visit to the State by Chairman Farley.
The thing, 1t appears, can be overdone
The Republicans in Pennsylvania were
not without their moments of strife in
the primary campaign. But the sores
in the G. o. P. ranks are not as deep
as those in the Democratic party The
Republicans showed new life and vigor.
They cast more votes than the Demo-
Gratis by 100000 plus. They held to
conservative courses, defeating the vet
eran Progressive. Clifford Pinchot. The
State organization is functioning again.
In ordinary times, a prediction that
victory would surely perch on the Re-
publican banner in Pennsylvania next
November would be entirely in order.
But in these days of vast Govern
ment relief and pay rolls, political
prediction has become more hazardous
than ever. The political result of
the millions of dollars which will be
poured into Pennsylvania next summer
and fall can not now be estimated.
Mr.. Pinchot's great weakness in the
State was the label he was compelled
to wear as the favorite of John L. Lewis.
His opponent again and again drove
home the point that if Mr.. Pinchot
were the nominee Of the Republicans
and Mr.. Jones became the nominee
of the DemocratS-as tho latter did