The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1939-04-20

WASHINGTON.-It's rather curl
Gus that for some weeks now one
hears more talk about Republican
victory in 1910 from Democrats,
and particularly from New Deal
Democrats, than from Republicans
This is not just a strange situa-
ton. There is plenty of logic back
Of it. Some of it is founded on cold
reason. But good deal of it is
propaganda.
The answer to why there is not too
much talk of Republican victory
from the G. O. P. leaders them
selves is that they realize their own
weakness. Despite the Republican
victories last fall in many states,
which had been held by the Demo-
Gratis for six years, most of the
states are still ruled by the Demo-
cratic party
The Importance Of this lies in or
ganization. 1t means that the Dem
ocrats have the. state house crowd
men on the state payroll who want
TO stay there. and whose main job
next year will be carrying their own
states for the Democratic ticket re-
CARELESS of who is the presidential
nominee and what may happen 10
be written in the platform.
Most politicians believe that con-
troll of the county governments
is more important than control of
the state government when it comes
to carrying state in an election.
And by the same token the Demo
Gratis are in control of tremendous
majority Of the county governments
in this country.
Most Democrats Don't Wanf
A Conservative Candidate
Then, too, careful survey of the
1883 election does not present the
bright forecast for Republican sue
cess which some seem to think. IF
the Democrats in 1910 can only
hold the states they carried beyond
question in 1888, leaving out such
doubtful problems as Indiana, Iowa
and Colorado, they will have COM
Portable margin in the electoral col
kge.
Moreover, the Republicans don't
Like the idea of getting too enthusi-
Astic until they know who their lead
sr is apt to be. Thomas +. Dewey
IL way out in front now, but there
IL plenty Of talk about Senator Rob-
<rt A. Taft of Ohio, and Governor
John w. Bricker of Ohio, and others.
On the Democratic side there is, an
entirely different situation. Down
In their hearts most Of the Demo
Gratis, especially of the New Deal
variety, believe the Democratic par
ty will be successful again-bu>-
they would never think of conceding
that the party can win with a con-
sentative as the nominee
For instance, most New Dealers
would regard the nomination of a
man like Senator Harry Flood Byrd
of Virginia, or Josiah w. Bailey of
North Carolina as little short OF
catastrophe, and none Of them
would throw their hats up in the air
over the idea of John Nance Garner
being nominated.
30 the strategy of these New Deal
ers at present is to keep the Demo
Gratis scared about the next election.
Whatever Is Done About
Cotton Is Sure to Be Wrong
Only one thing seems sure about
the cotton situation. That is that
whatever is done will turn out to be
wrong. In fact, economists who
have studied the situation, who
know about the rest of the world as
well as about the United States, and
whose judgment is not affected by
political considerations, say frankly
that not one of the proposed plans
will work in the long run; that all
OF them would be expensive as well
asafutile.
With hindsight, the nonpolitfcal
experts say they could have rem
edied the situation had they started
on it in 1923. Now. they are not
sure that anything could be done.
But as a matter of fact, this hind
sight would have been Of no prac-
teal value, for the simple reason
that even if one could have foreseen
the future, back in 1923, it is incon- (
celvable that a politically minded
government would have taken the
proper course. 1t would have
seemed too brutal--too hard on the
cotton farmers-at the time.
The year l928@fs picked not be-
cause it was the year before the
business crash began, but because
IN way it marks the starting Of
Brazil on its path to becoming one
OF the great cotton producing coun-
tries of the world. It was the year
before President Hoover began to
worry about the farm problem. II
was before the farm board of that
administration. For there is no
doubt whatever that it has been fed
erai interference with the natural
course OF cotton growing that has
raised the present problem.
Let's look at the history Of cotton
before that. Every now and then
4kr.t4e II. n