Evening star., 1939-10-17
The Political Mill
6. O. ?. Foces Post Neutrality Problem Of Getting
Peoples Minds Back on Domestic Issues

be greater satisfaction with the do
mestic situation.
The contention Of Republican
leaders is, however, that once the
arms embargo and Americas neu-
trality have been disposed Of in Con-
gress the people will swing back to
their discussion Of domestic issues,
including taxes and Government
spending, unemployment and the
like. That may or may not be wish
full thinking. Nor are these Repub-
ncan leaders dismayed-so they say
because the Democratic Presiden.
is going to win In the embargo fight.
Even though they admit that the
prestige Of the President is likely
to be enhanced by such q congress
sional victory, the Republicans In
Congress are saying that they be-
ieve that the chances Of Senator
Vandenberg of Michigan for the
G. o. p. presidential nomination
next year have increased in recent
weeks. Yet Senator Vandenberg
has been one Of the most persistent
and determined opponents of en-
barge repeal. This presents a para
dox which needs some explaining.
It may be due to the fact that
Vandenberg's position in this en-
barge fight probably will be sup.
ported by two-thirds to three.
fourths of the Republican Senators
ana by as large or even larger q
proportion Of the Republican House
membership.
More Mature Than Dewey.
Generally speaking, Vandenberg
has been an outstanding opponent
OF much Of the New Deal, although
he has not been a hidebound con-
servative. Also he is regarded as
more mature and with q greater
grasp Of things, both national and
international, than, for example. the
youthful Thomas E. Dewey. who
still continues to be New Yorks
proposed gift to national Republic
canism.
Senator Robert A. Taft of Ohio
unlike the Michigan Senator. has
taken q firm stand In favor Of re-
peal OF the arms embargo. The
Ohio Senator will have the support
next year for the Republican presi-
Dental nomination of many busi-
nessmen. In some quarters his
candidacy, too, has had an uplift.
1t is difacult to say Just what
part the arms embargo contest to
be decided within a comparatively
short time will have on the Repub-
iican voters and the Republican Ma
tional Convention. 1t may have
none whatever, depending yery
largely on how the new neutrality
law works after it has been enacted
Or it may have very marked ef-
feet.
Out in Oregon the Republicans
are boosting Senator McNary for
the Republican presidential nomi-
nation. He Is the G. o. p. leader
OF the Senate, and he has taken the
same side In the embargo contest
as Senator Vandenberg.
Question Of Third Term.
The New York Republican Finance
Committee places first on its list of
questions asked by contributors:
win President Roosevelt run for a
third term?" And 1t answers the
question as follows: Uncertain
However, 1t is known that some
New Dealers have been campaien-
ing for him for q third term nomi.
nation, and he evidently has not
halted them"
Here In Washington there is a
growing opinion on Capitol Hill
among the Republicans that the
President will be renominated. and
they insist that he will have COM
plete control of the Democratic Ma.
tional Convention when it meets
next year. If he wants it, the nomi-
nation, they say, will be his.
quite naturally the contributors
then ask the Finance Committee: !:
Whether or not President Roose-
velt runs again, will the Republi.
cans elect their candidate In l940?"
To this the committee answers with
an equivocal '.yes" and adds: saThe
many domestic problems, led by un-
employment, have not been solved
simply because war is going on in
Europe"