Evening star., 1938-09-04

s., Elk S n o
James Wadsworth
Of New York
~, ,.,..., now only hum
BILE member of the
House Of RepreSentatives-de
the main speech incidentally it is
curious development Of politics that
Mr.. Wadsworth, who was a hum
dinger Senator: always in the news;
always prominent. if'not dominant in
party councils, has, either consciously
or unconsciously, faded into relative
security In the lower House. However,
he was all there and told Of the sins
of the Democratic administration with
all his old-time vigor. Republican
Chairman John Hamilton, another
speaker at the corn fest, did not sur
pass the, emphasis of the former New
York Senator when he said nothing in
long. impassioned address.
One would gather from the massed
remarks Of these two distinguished
party spokesmen, that something had
to be done about the Democratic dia-
bolism in government. There was
accord on this point, which is some-
thing Of an answer to the jibe that two
Republicans could not agree at this
stage OF the 1888 campaign. Another
point where the minds met was an
abstention Of what it was that had
to be done, who was to do it, and when
Perhaps the detail of the Republican
policy that is to sweep the country
Is just around the corner-that same
G. O. P. corner We heard SO much
about toward the end of the Hoover
administration. Come to think of it.
perhaps the 5000 chickens consumed
had some relation to the two chickens
that were to be in every pot II Mr..
Hoover continued as Presidents sort
OF belated fulfillment Of a platform
pledge.
Report Of Brain Trust Missing.
The only thing lacking as the gnaw-
ing OF roasting ears drowned out the
band, was the presentation of a report
from the DR.. Glenn Frank Program
Committee. That portentous aggrega-
tlon OF talent under the leadership of
the q. o. P. No. l brain truster, has
been at its labors, faithfully, it is as
sumed, Tor about a year. One would
think that group embracing so much
wisdom would have something to sug-
gest. Here the congressional elections
are only two months away and the
minority party hasn't even the rudi-
ment OF a chart to guide it. Its candi-
dates for the Senate and House. with
rare exceptions. do not know whether
10 be New Dealers. who will promise
more than the Roosevelt administra-
tlon offers in that connection. or
steadfast Old Guardsmen, who view
with alarm everything governmental
that has been done since the states
men ceased wearing stocks and purple
Shorts and who assure their constit
uents that thing is wrong because it's
new and hallowed because it worked
back in the dark ages of Republican
politics.
A minor cornfield orator did saw
something about the intention of the
republican party to wrest a large
number OF seats in the House and
Senate from the party in power. NV
recollection is that he suggests 10 as
the modest estimate Of prospective Re-
puphcan gains. AS this gentleman,
with the usual care and caution typical
OF prophecies along that line. carefully
aostalned from specifying which Dem
ocratic seats were in danger, he might
nave made the number a hundred
Wlthout adding to the absurdity of his
nope But suppose the Democratic
party closed its headquarters, with
drew Its own speakers and did every-
thing else possible to make this orators
dream come true. where would that
leave the next Congress?
Statistics Blast Republican Hopes
The threatened majority party
would only have ma jority Of so or
W Votes-Just about double the usual
majority requisite to easy and COM
fortable control of the House of Rep
resentatives. Over on the Senate side,
where even single change is unlikely,
que to the circumstances that nearly
an OF the vacancies are in concededly
Democratic States, the utmost yaria-
tlon could not involve more than a
seat or two. These simple statistics
tell the whole story of the real Repub-
lican thought concerning next Novem-
ber's election.
Up to date, the Republican propa-
ganda organs. vocal and written. have
devoted themselves almost exclusively
to comment on the Democratic pri-
maries. generously advising the Demo-
Gratis that the safety of the country
and the future of the race depend
on their selecting Democrats who have
opposed Roosevelt policies.
Wen, suppose their arguments pre-
vail in such States as have not already
voted. How would that alter the sit
uatlon or give the Republicans any
serious encouragement? The. Sen
ators opposed to the administration
will perhaps continue to oppose the ad-
mlnlstration. So things on Capitol
Hill would remain as they have been
for the most part. Nothing Of conse-
quence that the old Congress had en-
acted into law would be repealed, and
all the cornfield conferences that might
be held in the interim could make no
difference.
The song, the opening words Of
which head these comments on
Homer Capehart's party, was a sort OF
dirge, reciting that "Massa's in the
cold, cold ground" So perhaps the
best estimate Of the Indiana gathering
would be that it was q sort of wake held
over the corpse Of a regime that Is as
dead as old Rameses.