The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1939-06-08


people after war came, but that tn
prospect of taxing all the profit
which might be made might diseour
age adequate preparation for wa
supplies, by private investors, be
fore the war came.
Believed President Cannot
Yin if He's Renoninated
A majority of Democrats in Wash
lngton, according to a canvass made
by the astute political expert of ths
Washington Star, G. Gould Lincoln
believe that President Roosevelt car
force his own denomination If he
chooses, but a considerable number
believe that he can not be elected il
nominated.
Those who believe that he car
force his own denomination, accord.
ing 10 Mr.. Lincoln, include both New
Dealers and conservatives. But as
to whether he can be elected il
nominated the line of cleavage is
clear. Those who are New Dealers
believe Mr.. Roosevelt can break the
antl-thlrd term tradition. Those who
are conservative believe almost uni
versally that he could not be elected.
In fact many of them, still ac-
cording to Mr.. Lincoln, are talking
about setting up third party, with
old line Democrats as candidates
and an old line Democratic plat
form in the event that Mr.. Roose-
velt does force his own renomina-
ton.
This writer believes that Mr.. Lin
coins reporting is excellent-that it
gives a perfect picture of the situa-
ton as 1t is at present. But this
writer differs as to the projection OF
the present situation. Actually it
seems most unlikely--unlees there
is some change not now visible on
the horizon--that Mr.. Roosevelt will
be able to force his own renomina-
ton.
Take the one element OF the pic
ture that practically all of the con-
servatives believe that Roosevelt
would fail of election If he did win
the nomination. And then ponder a
moment on the The recent activities CT
the Democrats on Capitol Hill. Even
more important, ponder on the way
many of the Democratic senators
and representatives are talking.
Find Many Democrats Would
Prefer another Candidate
The point is that a great many
Democratic senators and represent
atives would prefer some other
Democrat than Roosevelt for the
four years beginning in January.
l94l In fact they would prefer a
Democrat who agreed more nearly
with Vice President John Nance
Garner, or with Sen. Harry Flood
Byrd. But they would much rather
have Roosevelt continued in the
White House than for Republican
to take his place.
This is positively not true Of all
of the Democrats on Capitol Hill.
but it is true of quite sprinkling.
Now suppose the conviction
spreads among this group that
Roosevelt might win the nominal
ton, but would not be elected if he
did The inevitable result would be
that every one of this particular cat
egory of Democratic leaders would
be very anxious to have Mr.. Roose-
welt defeated for the nomination.
Roosevelts chief strength at the
moment, SO far as getting the nom
ination is concerned, is the belief of
so many Democrats that if he were
defeated for the nomination, and
conservative Democrat named, that
the New Dealers would bolt, thus
throwing the election almost surely
to the Republicans.
But this fear would be completely
offset if the conviction should grow
that the nomination of Roosevelt
himself would not result in the con-
tinuance of the spoils of office in the
hands Of the Democrats.
The picture would then be that
every conservative Democratic lead
er would be fighting to defeat Roose-
Welt for denomination with the
thought that il the Democrats are
going to lose anyway, it would be
better to leave control Of the organi-
cation in the hands of the conserva-
tives. But-much more important
than that is the serious doubt that
there would be third party move
ment Of New Dealers If a conserva-N
tive should be named. In fact there
IS as much blufing all round the
board as though tho gar,,a ,uara pol