Evening star., 1939-05-06
The Political Mill
Gov.. Stossen Believes 6. O. P. Can Win
In 1910 With Progressive Program

TO the farmers. II the farmers
should become convinced that the
Republican leadership would be IN
the hands Of people who merely
wish to exploit the farmers-the jig
would be up. At least that is the
view Of leaders in the wheat and corn
belts, whether they be in Minnesota,
Kansas or Iowa. And furthermore,
the Republican party must have
some kind of an Affirmative policy
for the benefit o. the farmer. Prob
ably . subsidy.
Two Factors In Swing.
The big swing back to the G. o. p.
which happened in States like Min
nesota, Kansas, Michigan and Ohio
in the 1898 State and congressional
elections was due mainly to two
factors. The frst was the low prices
the farmer was getting for his prod
uce-despite all the efforts of the
New Dealers. The second was a
strong reaction on the part Of the
ruralites to the activities Of the c.
I. o.. backed up as they believed, by
the Roosevelt administration.
There were local factors in various
States, to be sure, which affected
the elections of last year. The State
administration by Gov. Benson Of
Minnesota, for example, had become
increasingly unpopular. The Farmer
Labor party, Of which he was at
least the titular head, was badly
split-with the farmers up in arms
because they believed that the labor
end Of the party was getting all
the breaks. The farmers were up in
arms, too. because labor organiza-
tions. in their strikes, were prevent
ing the shipment Of farm produce
to the cities.
The Minnesota Legislature has re-
Gently passed q new State law deal
ing with the labor situation-a far
more moderate law than some of,
the more conservative members were
demanding. But Gov. Stassen put
his foot down firmly on drastic pro-
visions proposed. The new law sets
up machinery for conciliation and
mediation in labor disputes which
already has been most effective. 1t
also declares the sit-down strike H.
legal-following exactly the Supreme
Court Of the United States.
Dewey, Taft Friends Busy.
So far as can be learned there
has been no crystallization yet in
favor Of any Of the talked-of candi-
dates for the Republican presiden-
tial nomination next year, although
friends Of both Thomas E. Dewey
Of New York and Senator Robert
A. Taft are at work in Minnesota
On the Democratic side President
Roosevelt, 1t is said. would be the
strongest candidate the Democratic
party could put forward-even with
the third term issue tied round his
neck. The Presidents personal
popularity still holds, it is said, al
though the people have been dis
appointed in the New Deal laws
and their administration. And
Minnesota is said to be typical Of
the great rural belt.
The Farmer-Labor party since the
trouncing it had at the hands Of
the Republicans last fall has been
trying to get itself together again.
Former Gov. Benson seems to be
dead politically. An effort has been
made to rally around Hjalmar Pc
tersen, who came near defeating
Benson for the Farmer-Labor guber-
material nomination In 1888. Sena-
tor Shipstead, who had no love for
Benson and who held Aloof from
the last campaign, still looms as
the strong man of the party-but
there will be, 1t Is said, active work
on the part of the more radical
group to get" him If he is a candi-
date for the Farmer-Labor sena-
torial nomination next year. Ship
stead has had much support not
only from Farmor -Laborites but
also from Republicans and Demo-
Gratis In the past. He has three
courses open to him-he can run
for reelection as a Farmer-Labor-
ite. as an Independent or as Re-
v,y,h1iron