Evening star., 1939-04-22
The Political Mill
Conservative Democrats Offer FIGHT
At Signs Of New Purge Policy

menu. 6cNaUOr f1CCI1An mace no
recommendation. Before he left
Washington. McCarran conferred
with the then Assistant Attorney
General, Joseph B. keenan,. He
gathered that. since his was the only
recommendation, Carville would hold
on.
But scarcely had the Congress
ended its session when the President
handed recess appointment to
Boyle. McCarran insists that Boyle
was a political enemy, although that
has been denied by Boyle at q ses-
sion OF the subcommittee on his
nomination. The Senator contends,
however, that Carville, by his bril-
liant record as q racket buster, was
entitled to be reappointed. McCar-
ran had persuaded Carville to leave
the State superior bench to take the
ONCE In the first place. believing
that a two-f1sted fighter was needed
to clean up certain spots in the State.
Put Carville in Governorship.
What happened in Nevada after
the turn down of Carville and the
appointment of Boyle holds a GER
tain element Of humor. The DEM
ocrats nominated Carville for Gov
ernor and in November they tri-
umphantly elected him. So the New
Deal did not gain much ground in
the State by its maneuver against
McCarran. Boyle is reported to be
strong friend, however, of Post
master General James H. Farley,
Democratic National Committee
chairman.
While the President succeeded in
obtaining Senate confirmation for
his friend, Harry l.. Hopkins, to be
Secretary Of Commerce, after Hop
kins had been under fire for his
administration of the w. P. A. from
some of the "purgees," and also for
Attorney General Frank Murphy,
defeated Governor of Michigan, he
lost out not only with the Roberts
appointment in Virginia, but he was
compelled either to withdraw the
nomination of Thomas Amlie, for
mer Progressive Representative from
Wisconsin, to be Interstate Com
merce commissioner or face another
defeat. 1t is true that Amlie finally
asked the President to withdraw his
nomination, but it was only after a
canvass of the Senate indicated he
would be overwhelmingly beaten If
a vote were taken. Nor has the
President yet been able to fill sue
cessfully a place on the National
Labor Relations Board now held by
Donald Wakefield Smith, whose
term has expired.
Defeat Forecast for Benson.
NO new appointee has been named
to the Virginia judgeship, although
the months have rolled by. The
withdrawal of Mr.. Amlies nomina-
ton Is recent. There has been some
talk that the President would name
former Gov. Elmer A. Benson,
Farmer-Laborite. to the Interstate
Commerce Commission. Mr.. Benson
at one time served a short period as
Senator from Minnesota, appointed
by the late Gov. Floyd Olson to fill
vacancy caused by the death of
Senator Schall. But senatorial cour-
tesy will not, it is said, serve or save
Mr.. Benson If his name is sent to
the Senate for this job. Indeed, a
poll OF sentiment recently taken in
dicates that Benson would be
turned down. too, on the ground
that he is more radical than Amlie
ever was.
In some quarters it is said the
President will not make the ap-
pointment, but that it will probably
go to a practical railroad man."
satisfactory to the railroad brother
hoods. The brotherhoods were great
ly disappointed when the President
failed either to keep Frank McNam-
any on the commission or to pick
another man regarded as satisfac-
tory to them.
The President, it appears, will
have a tough time appointing ultra
radicals to high Federal office and
obtaining Senate confirmation for
them, If the Amlie case means
anything.