Evening star., 1939-07-02

forces in this fight. Senator Wheeler
took an outstanding part in that
fight, acting as floor leader OF the
opposition.
So bitter was the feeling against
him among the 100 per cent New
Dealers after this contest that they
threatened to defeat him for re-
nomination and reelection when he
next came up before the electorate.
Senator Wheeler last summer went
to Montana and was instrumental
IN bringing about the defeat of for
mer Representative O'Connell, the
candidate of the New Dealers to
beat Senator Wheeler in 1910.
Consulted by President.
During the present session of Con-
gress Senator Wheeler has been fire.
quently consulted by the President
on important legislation. AS chair
man OF the Senate Interstate Com
merce Committee he handled the
railroad legislation which has passed
the Senate and now awaits action
by the House.
The overtures made to Mr..
Wheeler by third term boomers
indicate they believed the Montanan
would be able to help unite the
Democratic party, just as Senator
johnson has said.
President Roosevelt repeatedly has
warned the Democrats that unless
they nominate liberal for Presi-
dent. the party would be defeated
at the polls next year According
to Senator johnson, Mr.. Wheeler
fills the bill exactly, particularly as
he has the high regard and would
have the support of many of the
more conservative Democrats.
In the opinion of Wheeler-for-
President Democrats, Mr.. Roosevelt
would have no good reason for turn
ing thumbs down on the Wheeler
candidacy-that for him to do so
would be ingratitude in view of all
that Senator Wheeler did in 1882
to make Mr.. Roosevelt President.
Native Of Massachusetts,.
Senator Wheeler is 81 years old
and a native of Massachusetts,. A
graduate of the University of Miclli-
gan, he is former prosecuting at
torney, United States district
attorney in Montana, and for II
years has been Senator.
During the Coolidge administra-
ton, Immediately after President
Harding died, Senator Wheeler had
leading part in Senate investiga-
tions of the administration of the
Justice Department by Attorney
General Daugherty, and also was
active in inquiring into the "oil
scandal"
Meanwhile, Charles Nicholson,
the Democratic National Commit
tees director CT publicity, belittled
the suggestion that the party is
badly split.
Commenting on the political sit
uation in his weekly column, Dis
pelling the Fog" he wrote:
whenever a particular drive is
made for one candidate for the
Democratic presidential nomina-
tom it will be presented by the
hapless opposition (the Republic
ans as presaging a party bolt, a
third party or some other species of
disaster for the Democrats.
Actually these things are mere
passing shadows on the political
mirror. The battle of 1910 must be
fought on the issue of the achieve
ments Of the Democratic admin
istration. The bigger the forces of
any candidate now, the bigger the
promise of a huge vote for the NOM
inee in November next year.
"As to who the most probable
candidate is-that is a conjecture
each person must make for himself.
As to whether the President will
permit himself to be drafted-there
is only one person who could pos
sibly reply-and perhaps even that
person does not at this time know
the answer"
Mr.. Nicholson leaves wide open
the question whether the President
is to seek q third term.