Evening star., 1939-06-15
The Political Mill
Democrats Can Meet G. o. P.'s Dewey on Corruption
Issue With Stark or Murphy

bringing Pendergast to prompt trial
for violation Of the income tax laws.
Some Of President Roosevelt's New
Deal advisers prefer Murphy as q
running mate for the President in
1940-if the President chooses to
run.
Strategy?
Mr.. Murphy, however, was a de-
feated candidate for Governor in
his State of Michigan last year,
while Mr.. Stark continues to be
Governor Of Missouri and will be
next year when the nominations
are made. All Of which may have
its effect when it comes to the bal
loting in the national convention
next year.
The interesting thing Is, however.
that the democrats are building up
right now two men as ardent foes
OF political corruption and crime
Gov. Stark and Attorney General
Murphy. If the Republicans should
nominate Dewey for President next
year, the Democrats will be in a
position to place either Stark or
Murphy on their ticket and meet
the issue which the G. o. P. has
been planning to raise.
Gov. Stark, commenting on the
passage of the Kansas CITY police
bill, declared it was a victory for
the god-fearing. law-abiding people
OF Missouri and the entire United
States" Apparently he was not
overlooking the national aspect of
the accomplishments. He added.
In my opinion, it marks the be-
ginning of the swing of the pen.
quinn from civic corruption, gangs
terlsm, racketeering. graft infested
polltlcs and contempt for and order
IN the State and Nation, toward an
era OF sanity, respect for democratic
government and the religious pre-
cepts OF our forefathers."
Seemed Impossible 1t First.
When Gov. Stark undertook to
pass through the Missouri Leeisla-
ture bill giving the control of the
Kansas City policy to the Governor
OF the State, 1t was predicted he did
not have chance-yet finally both
Houses overwhelmingly approved the
measure. The State Senate was
largely in the control Of three friends
OF Tom Pendergast-Kinney, Casey
and Brogan; Kinney and Broaan Of
st. Louis and Casey Of Kansas CITY
But since Tom Pendergast was put
away. its influence has dwindled.
The measure Of control over the
police OF Kansas City by the Gov
ernor now becomes similar to that
which the Governor of Missouri has
mad Tor years over the police in st.
Louis, where 1t has worked we'll.
The Kansas City force does not be-
come a State police, however, any
more than is the st. Louis police
force. 1t remains entirely local,
with local Police Board and local
policemen. But the board is ap-
pointed by the Governor and In
that lies the whole measure Of
reform.
Missouri has another son, Senator
Bennett Champ Clark. who will
occupy the limelight in Washington
and throughout the country soon as
q leader in the fight against the
proposed amendments of the Neu-
tarlity Act-a fighter, indeed. The
Senator finds himself arrayed again
In this struggle against the Roose-
velt administration. But that has
never deferred Mr.. Clark when he
believed he had the right end of An
argument. He Is confident that he
knows what the people OF his State
and of the country desire in the
matter of foreign relations, particu-
larly with regard to keeping this
country out of foreign entangle-
ments and foreign wars.