Evening star., 1940-04-27
The Political Mill
Missouris Clark and Stark Feud TypieoI
Of Democratic Riffs in Key States

third-term nomination, the Senator
will be In position to vote mo"
He Is one of the delegates-at-large,
Of whom there are eight, each with
half vote. So is Gov. Stark one
of the delegates-at-large, and also
Senator Truman.
Foes Are Pro-Roosevelt.
Senator Truman is an ardent
Roosevelt man-like Gov. Stark.
He has supported the President in
season and out. during his term Of
office In the Senate. The situa-
tion in Missouri, however, is rendered
more complicated because Senator
Truman and Gov. Stark are op-
ponents for the Democratic sena-
torial nominations third entry in
that race Is former United States
District Attorney Maurice Milligan,
also regarded as a Roosevelt man.
Gov. Stark has the open hostility
Of Senator Clark. Both Truman
and Milligan, on the other hand,
are hoping for the friendly sup
port OF Clark, for Clark has a
strong following in State democracy,
and his support means a good deal.
Take it by and large the the Mis-
souri, situation is about as comph-
Gated as it can we'll be.
The Stark forces are charging
that the old Pendergast machine-of
Kansas City i'll fame-combined with
Clark to run the State convention.
They dispute the Clark claim that
rs OF the delegates are friendly to
him, insisting that 10 of the dele
gates are friendly to Gov. Stark, and
that a large majority will follow
the Stark leadership and support
the President for denomination in
the event the Presidents name is
presented to the convention.
The Missouri Democratic row Is
symbolic of divisions in the Demo-
cratic party in number of the
big, key States this year. In Cali
fornia, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Wis
consin, Ohio and Maryland, the
Democratic factions are at each
others throats. To such factional
division in the Democratic party, the
President himself attributed Re-
publican victories in many of the
States in the 1898 elections-insist-
ing that these G. o. P. gains did not
mean that the country was turning
against the New Deal. Unless the
Democrats heal lot of wounds.
these factional differences may have
an important effect in the national
election next November.
Senator Guffey is top Democrat
in Pennsylvania. He cleaned up in
the Pennsylvania senatorial primary
last Tuesday. and his bitter op-
ponent, State Chairman David
Lawrence, who backed the candi-
dacy of Walter A. Jones against
Guffev, has announced he will re-
tire from his present Office. The
Guffeyites say they intend to re-
vamp the State organization. This
is not calculated to bring about
harmony, unless the anti-Guf1ey
forces are given some recognition.
Probably something along this line
will be attempted.
See Defeat without Roosevelt.
In Pennsylvania. Indiana. Illinois.
Ohio and other States, the Demo-
cratic State leaders have come to the
conclusion they will lose the elec-
ton unless Roosevelt is the presi-
dental nominee That Is the reason
they are plugging so hard to bring
about his denomination. This is
not complimentary to other presi-
Dental possibilities in the Demo-
cratic Party-but it is so. Even in
Indiana. where Federal Security
Administrator Paul McNutt is the
favorite son candidate, this feeling
that Roosevelt must run to bring
victory home is rife. The Hoosiers
say that Mr.. McNutt would be their
choice for Vice President if the
President runs.
The showing made by Thomas E.
Dewey, New York district attorney,
in the write-in votes in the Pennsyl.
vania presidential preferential pri-
mary has not lessened the prestige
Of Mr.. Dewey He ran five or six
to one ahead of Gov. James of