Evening star., 1939-08-14

divided Democratic party. Back in
1912 when the Republican party split
into a conservative and progress
sive wing, the Democratic party won
easily because there were three
candidates in the field.
During the 1910 election, if there
are only two candidates and Mr.
Roosevelt carries out his intention of
refusing to participate in the cam
~paign for the election of a con-
servative Democratic nominee, the
progressive or liberal voters of the
Democratic party would be COM
PEELED to choose between staying
away from the polls or voting for
the Republican nominee.
Much Depends on Candidate.
Much will depend then on the kind
OF Republican who is nominated. AS
between Senators Taft and Vanden-
berg on the one Misunderstanding
that either is the Republican NOM
inee-and Democratic conserva-
tive like Vice President Garner. for
instance, the Office holding Dem
ocratS would stand more of a chance
OF keeping their posts than if a Re-
publican house-cleaning were sane
toned by the results of Democratic
party defeat. Any Democrat elected.
conservative or not, would be more
sympathetic to the retention of some
Roosevelt policies and jobholders
than would be Republican who
would, of course, be free to fire the
whole New Deal crowd and their
policies.
But, supposing the contention is
made that the jobs are not important
and that the real question is wheth-
er liberal policies will be main
tanned? Then the liberals" of the
Democratic party, having viewed the
successful nomination of a conserva-
tive Democrat at the convention,
Will hope that the Republicans
who are likely to hold their conven-
ton after the Democrats this time
will pick liberal"
Who, among the Republicans, may
be such a liberal? Up to now no
liberal has appeared on the Repub-
Hcan side sufficiently attractive to
the liberal Democratic vote. The
one possibility is Thomas E. Dewey
OF New York, who is cordially dis
liked by the conservative Repub-
hcans and especially some of the big
contributors to campaign funds be-
cause OF fear that, if elected, he
might become Just another New
Dealer Many conservative Repub-
icans in Congress would like to plav
IL safe, they say, with a Republican
IKE Vandenberg, Taft, or possibly
Gov. Bricker of Ohio.
Thus far Mr.. Dewey has not made
pubic expression of his views. He
probably is being shrewdly advised to
let the other candidates tie them
selves TO conservation so tightly that
In few months they will not be able
to attract the independent" or lib
eral'' votes. Then Mr.. Dewey's cam
palgn might resemble the sort that
woodrow Wilson made in 1912
against the conservative groups in
the Democratic party. Something
colorful in politics attaches to the
aggressive campaigner VINO takes
Issue with his own party on matters
OF program and principles and car
rles the light to the convention floor.
Deweys Chances Weighed.
Whether Mr.. Dewey wants to risk
the dangers of an open schism is
something no doubt that will cause
his supporters and political man
ayers to ponder carefully, but at
present writing he hasn't a ghost of
q chance for the nomination if he
takes the conservative side of the
argument, because the men who
control the delegates customarily in
the Republican party would prefer
Vandenberg, Taft or Bricker to
Dewey. This is almost an open secret
in political circles here.
So to put it another way. Dewey's s
chances for the nomination, and
with it possibly the corralling of the
''Gbera" Democratic vote, lie in
penetrating criticism of New Deal
methods, especially fiscal policy, but
an acceptance of several New Deal
objectives. His opponents inside the
Republican party doubtless feel the
party can win by rejection of
both objectives and methods of the
New Deal-an out and out house
cleaning
Mr.. Roosevelt's intention is to hold
the balance of power in the next
election. His thesis in a sense is
that if a conservative is to sue
coed him, it ought to be Re-
publican and not Democratic
conservative, and by passive action
staying out of active participation
In the campaign-he would be con-
tributing to such a result. Theodore
Roosevelt, in 1912, by permitting
his name to go on the ballot for a
third ticket, helped to give the elec-
ton to Woodrow Wilson, who actu-
ally polled minority of the votes
cast.
The President today is threaten
Ing another sort of bolt-not third
ticket but inaction-and it is mat
ter Of considerable doubt whether
his strategy will succeed unless a
third ticket is actually put into the
field with liberal platform. For
just as soon as conservative Demo-
cratic nominee is chosen, the pres
sure inside the Democratic ranks
will be one of sheer expediency to
unite the party machinery behind
the ticket, irrespective of its con-
servation, so that the bulk of the
tobkolders can keep on the Federal
pay roll. The argument will be Of
fered that a Democratic conserva-
tive is not as conservative as a Re-
publican conservative and would re-
tain much more of the New Deal