Evening star., 1938-04-06
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM WILE.

Rlvaling the fierce senatorial campaign
in Pennsylvania is the struggle already
raging full blast in North Dakota. There
Senator Gerald P. Nye, Republican, is
immersed in battle for his political
existence with militant Gov. Bill LANCER.
The fight will be decided at the primary
On June %. Although the zero hour is
still three months distant, the contest Is
so bitter that Senator Nye, despite the
strenuous preoccupations of the session,
has had to desert the Senate twice dur
ing recent months to survey his en-
dangered position on home grounds. He
is there again this week. The Senator
and the Governor are conducting a no.
quarter scrap. Charges and counter
charges are flying with gay abandon.
Gov. LANCER holds Senator Nye mainly
responsible for instigating the prosecu-
ton of the Governor in connection with
administration Of Federal relief funds
IN North Dakota-proceedings which
eventually led to his custer from Office,
though the courts later acquitted him.
In 1885 Gov. LANCER was "vindicated" by
reelection in three-cornered race,
which he won with only a 40 per cent
vote. Senator Nye, completing his 18th
year in the Senate, has made notable
record at Washington. His State has
cause to be grateful for the bountiful
Treasury aid it has received, largely
through its junior Senator's efforts. He's
become as much of national advertise
ment and institution for North Dakota
as Senator Borah is for Idaho Country
editor by origin, Senator Nye achieved
international fame as chairman OF the
Senate Munitions Investigating Com
mittee and an advocate of neutrality. He
is in Nationwide demand as public
speaker.
Revenge is sweet to politicians, as well
as to lesser mortals. observers watch
ing the skillful surgery Senator Pat Har-
rison is performing on the tax bill are
persuaded that the jovial Mississippian
has welded the scalpel on the Roose-
velt-Morgenthau-M gill; Oliphant meas
ure with more than ordinary glee and
satisfaction. Pat of the bayous is proud
of the fact that the Senate Finance Com
mittee has translated the House pro-
posal into what confidently believe will
be a business recovery bill" And in
broadcasting that prospect to the country
the other night Senator Harrison con-
fessed his political creed when he said:
"The highest duty OF men in public life
today is to adopt courageously policies
that dispel fear and restore confidence.
That is what the Finance Committee has
attempted to do Be all that as it may,
the tax bill gave Pat heaven-sent op-
portunity to even scores with F. D. r.
for the immortal Dear Alben' letter
last summer, which doomed Senator Har-
rison's ambition to succeed Joe Robinson
as majority leader and boosted Senator
Barkley into the place. So, while re-
covery, not revenge, may have inspired
Senator Harrison to make mincemeat OF
the administrations revenue plan, the
way things have worked out is hardly
designed to sadden Gulfport's favorite
son.
Talk of purchase" of the Senate in
duces one of the astutest young women
on Capitol Hill, Miss Bertha Joseph,
secretary to Senator Radcliffe, Demo-
crat, of Maryland, to depose and say
that it takes only $1.98 for citizen OF
the Free State to buy" the whole works,
as far as high-pressuring one OF Its
United States Senators is concerned. AS
more than half the population OF Mary
land Is within the metropolitan area OF
Baltimore-a bare IS miles from WASH
ington-Senator Radcliffe's chief of staff
points out that for an expenditure OF
less than two bucks the average Mary
lander can trip to the Capital, button
hole his Senator, follow 1t up with let
ter, a telegram and even a long distance
telephone call, and still have q couple Of
pennies to spare. Miss Joseph thinks