Evening star., 1939-12-14
Far West Republicans
Study Formation Of
Regional Bloc
Leaders in Both Parties
Feel States Overlooked
In National Picture
~ the Associated Press.

~ the Associated Press.
, SALT LAKE CITY, Dec. IA
Leaders of both the Republican ant
Democratic parties in the West ar,
doing something about a situation
which they assert is deprNing tn.
Western States of prestige and pa.
tronage in national political affairs
Several hundred Republican lead.
ers have been invited here from II
Western States to discuss-alone
with President Roosevelt and New
Deal policies-a permanent regiona
organization.
The II States are Washington
Oregon, California, Arizona, Nevada
New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Idaho
Montana and Wyoming
The Republicans are following the
lead of picked handful of Western
Democratic leaders who conferred
here in a closed meeting last Octo-
ber.
The program for the Republican
parley tomorrow and Saturday is
we'll fortified with anti-New Deal
ammunition which no doubt will
sound loud and long, but on q
quleter tone will be heard plans for
the organization of western bloc
designed to magnify the voice OF
party workers in these thinly popu-
lated States.
United Front Brewing.
Such an organization grew out OF
the October Democratic meeting
which officially was all harmony,
with resolution at it's close laudine
Mr.. Roosevelt and Postmaster Cen
eral James A. Farley.
James A. Marsh of Denver. Colo
RADIO Democratic national commit
teeman, acted as spokesman for his
group and handed out the resolution
which, besides ''indorsing and sup
porting the policies" of the President
ana conmending Mr.. Farley "for
his outstanding leadership" declared
the WeSterners had formed a per-
manent organization so as to make
the voice OF the West more audible
and effective"
Ihat more audible and effective"
phrase packs more Wallop than ap-
pears at casual glance, and init
mates that united front is brew
ing, for Calvin w. Rawlings, Utah
State chairman, who was named
permanent chairman of the meet
ing, was instructed to call the bloc"
together again before the next
Democratic National Convention"
Only 65 Electoral Votes,
Now come the Republicans, with
an advance program that lists be-
sides the expected assault on the
New Deal, trade agreements, sugar
beet and reclamation policies, this
sentence:
TO perfect a permanent organi-
cation of Republicans of Western
States so as to have an effective or
ganization through which all the
West can work and speak"
To say that the Western political
leaders, Republicans and Democrats
alike, are somewhat ruffled at being
regarded as small potatoes" every
four years wouldn't be expressing an
untruth.
Take look at the situation" ex-
planned one State Democratic chair
man who declined to be quoted.
There's no use kidding ourselves.
The II Far Western States have Just
IS electoral votes-that is if you can
count on CALIFORNIA; %.
New York State alone has At.
Two Courses Left.
"The party big shots in the East
don't even know we exist individual
ly as States when it comes time to
pass out the campaign funds, and
later the choice jobs.
so what chance has my State
with so very few electoral votes?"
He explained his State elected
Republican Governor in 1888 and
that all of the Democratic job hold
ers were ousted.
That leaves us two courses:
1--WE can either form a solid West
ern bloc and 60 into the convention
united, prepared to make a deal
with the faction that promises the
most.
"Or we can forget the presidential
race and 60 home and work in the
hope that We can kick the Republi-
can Governor out and regain the
State jobs for our loyal party
workers"
Another thing that has vexed
many leaders of both parties in the
West is the reluctance of California
to join in the proposed blocs.
The Republican chairman of one
Of the States here for tomorrow's
pow-wow recalled that California
regretted" it could not be repre-
sented at the recent Salt Lake City
Democratic conference because the
delegate was "sick."
california has % of those IS
electoral votes in the Far West and
can rate right along with the. large
Eastern States at the conventions"
the Republican official pointed out.
Take those % votes away from
our proposed bloc and what have
you? Just 43 votes for 10 States, or
four less than New York alone"
"Yes, we've got some work to do
In the next couple of days." he con-
cluded.
A>x.: Dill: