The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1940-10-18
Waahington Digest
Government Armament Program
Presages Huge Business Boom
Federal Spending Is Scale Unprecedented in History
Senator Johnson May Swing California Vote
From Roosevelt to Willkie.

ooihiSoii, ". -. senator from Cali
fornia for these many years.
California has % electoral votes.
When she had only Is. she decided
the presidential election Of 1915.
Most Of the figuring on electoral
votes this campaign-on the assump-
ton that the election may be fairly
close-has given California unques-
ticnably to Roosevelt.
Folks began wondering about Cal
fornia when President Roosevelt
went out OF his way to slap Hiram
johnson. just on the eve of the Cali
fornia primaries. Everybody who
knew anything about politics in the
state was writing TO friends In WASH
ington that Johnson was almost GER
tain to capture both the Republic
can and the Democratic nominations
for reelection as senator.
Yet the President was so annoyed
with johnson for various reasons
that he permitted himself to be quot
ed by the newspaper correspondents
to the broad general effect that
Johnson could no longer be consid-
cred q liberal"
Johnson didn't like that bit. He
regards himself as having been an
outstanding liberal since long before
Roosevelt knew his way around in
politics.
Most commentors on this slap of
Roosevelt at johnson have based 1t
on Johnson's opposition to helping
Britain. This Is NOT the real rea-
son.
Roosevelt's dislike Of johnson Roes
back to the time Roosevelt tried to
pack the Supreme court. johnson
was one OF the little group that
fought this 90 bitterly that II was
eventually dafeated. Just as he was
one Of the group that fought Presi-
dent Wilson On the, League Of Ma
Hons and 6thsr n aSifss 6f the Yer
It was not the failure of johnson
to change his policy on international
questions that brought forth Roose-
ve!t's Ire. It was his battle against
enlarging the Supreme court.
Defeat of Johnson
10 NoW In1possibIe
Every man WHO fought the Presi.
dent on that issue has been marked
In the White House black book ever
since. That Of course was admit
tedly the chief motive In the unsuc-
cessful attempt to purge" Demo-
cratic senators In 1898. This year
the attempt to purge was renewed,
and with more success. AS a part
OF 1t, Sen. Edward r.. Burke was
defeated for denomination in Ne
braska. Sen. William H. King of
Utah was also defeated for renomi-
nation as a part of It.
Defeat OF Johnson Is now impos-
sible. 1t was impossible when the
President slapped him, but the feel
ing was SO strong that the President
would not be polite.
Several observers believe that IL
johnson 10 mad enough to denounce
F. D. r. and support Willkie in q
few speeches before election, Willkie
will carry the state.
But that does not mean that John
son, though q Republican, is going to
support Wendell Willkie. Nobody
knows what he IL going to do. All
we know Ia that he Is very bitter
against Roosevelt.
Senator Johnson has been one OF
the outstanding isolationists In the
senate. 1t Is the act which bears
his name that forbids any country
In default to the United States on
previous debts TO borrow any more
money in this country.
An interesting sidelght on the de-
moralizing bombardment of London
has developed in Washington. Re-
ports from Britain indicate that this
constant bombing has tended TO stiff
en- the resistance of the English peo-
pie. British sympathizers here are
presenting another plan by which
material aid can be extended TO the
defenders. This group has organ
lied itself into the American Conn
mittee for Defense of British Homes.
This committee was formed by a
group OF Well-known sportsmen and
explorers who, hearing of the Brit
ish peoples need for small arms.
ammunition and binoculars. decided
TO do something about It. The de-
cision has resulted in a nationwide
drive for sporting rifles, shotguns,
and pistols, ammunition and binoc-
ulars.
New York headquarters OF the
group report that the public has re-
sponded to their plea by sending in
a considerable selection of their IA
yorite guns. Although shotguns pre-
dominate, old Springfield rifles used
by the U. s. army q decade before
the war, 1917 Springfelds, and many
pistols OF varied calibers have been