Evening star., 1940-05-13
McNory Seen Cabinet 7 imber
In Event of 9. O.. P. Victory
Believes Former
Vote AII-Importont
In 1910 Campaign
By WALTER NJ. HARRISON.

BY WALTER NJ. HARRISON.
Perhaps the height of folly is
speculation about the members of
the cabinet in the event of the
Republicans winning in November.
It would be easy to name at least
three. The first three would be
Charley Mac" sad-eyed, sagacious
Senator Charles L. McNary of
Oregon.
More than any other man in the
upper house, the brilliant, crafty,
silent-working leader of the minor
ity is entitled to the credit for
shrewd strategy that has kept the
Republicans working as a team and
with greater and greater effective
ness, since Franklin D. Roosevelt
took over in 1888 If and when the
G. o. P. returns to the top of the
heap, the leadership and loyal serv-
ice of the pink-cheeked, 65-year-old
Senator from the Far West will be
rewarded.
Calls Himself a Farmer.
In spite of the fact that Charley
Mac" is an able lawyer and a for
mer dean Of Willamette University,
where he took his law degree after
Leland Stanford, he Identifies him.
self as a farmer, spends all of his
time when in the home State on a
200-acre place where he grew up,
loves to graft varieties of fruit to
ia hyhriGc ic tho
Of the Imperial prune, grows and
markets cherries, pears and nuts.
Every one knows him as the
father of the McNary- Haugen bill,
which for the first time tried to
apply the principles of the protec-
tive tariff to agriculture. Two Con-
crosses passed the measure, which
protected the domestic market for
the farmer. Two Republican Presi-
dents, Coolidge and Hoover, vetoed
it. Many elements of the original
McNary program may be seen,
slightly disguised, in the New Deals
parity payments plan. Senator Nc
Nary thinks the farm vote is going
to be all-important, believes that
the essence of the old McNary-
Haugen plan is sound for the cam
paign of 1910.
Interest in Migrants.
Washington is acquiring a fervid
interest in the migrant problem.
The dust bowl, the migration of the
"okies," the walls that came out of
California and the Pulitzer Prize
book, The Grapes of WRATH" built
up fire in the agricultural section
which is jelling today in demands
for congressional investigation and
immediate action. Secretary WAL
lace is working at it. One of his
sub-departments is studying every
angle of the causes behind the drift
of II per cent of the agricultural
population of America.
Senator McNary is not excited
about the migrant situation. He be-
lieves it is overemphasized and
overplayed. He sees no immediate
solution, yet favors development by
reclamation, the getting of water to
arid lands. the settlement on small
tracts, with long amortizations at
low rates Of interest that can be
worked out.
Two causes of the migrant prob
lem, often underplayed. are un-
derscored by Senator McNary in
conversation. The passing of the
last frontier and the normal lag of
q depression period have aggravated
a natural condition, in his judg-
ment.
At Sea on Campaign Issues.
Visiting with him Just after the
brilliant young Governor of Mime
sofa. Harold Stassen, had been in to
get some help on his keynote speech
for the Philadelphia convention, I
was impressed by Senator McNary's
frank admission that he was largely
at sea as to the principal issues of
the impending campaign. He sees
q drive to capitalize the opposition
to the reciprocal trade treaties in
the West, the attack on unemploy-
ment in the industrial East, the
farm policy is cinch: but nothing
is certain except the tragic uncer-
tainty caused by the situation in
Europe.
Senator McNary says the events of
day may change the whole picture,
move war into the canvas as the
major issue, shutting out every do
mestic policy. He sees the third
term issue as capable of producing
one of the most bitter campaigns in
history. Naturally he is too high up
in the ranks of the Mr.. Bigs to be
out for any single individual for
the Republican nomination. He
wants party success, which means
he will be for the man at Phila-
delphia who seems to be the right
man at the minute.
Many have said during Senator