Evening star., 1940-04-03
A Third Porty?

esting speculation by his implied
threat to organize third party
unless the Democrats pick a presi-
Dental candidate and adopt plat
form to his liking-but to date the
impact upon Democratic politicians
has been far from cataclysmic. This
may be because Mr.. Lewis had taken
the edge off his sharp warming by
previous denunciations of Demo-
cratic policies and, in some instances,
OF Democratic politicians. He has let
1t be known in no uncertain terms
that he thinks that President Roose-
velt and the New Deal have failed
to show proper gratitude for the half
million dollars in loans and gifts
contributed to the Democratic cause
by the United Mine Workers in 1895.
He has predicted that Mr.. Roosevelt
will be defeated If he runs for a third
term. He does not like Candidate
Paul " McNutt. He has shown lack
OF enthusiasm for Secretary of State
Hull. He still thinks that Vice Presi-
dent Garner is a labor batting, evil
old man."
In fact, Mr.. Lewis so far has smiled
upon only one Democratic candidate,
Senator Burton K. Wheeler Of Mon
tana. 1t was the natural impulse of
political observers to wonder about
Senator Wheeler's attitude when Mr..
Lewis limited at third party move
ment in addressing ten thousand
miners in West Virginia last Monday.
But Senator Wheeler quickly turned
thumbs down on any third party
nomination, insofar as he was con-
cerned, at least. He indicated that
he is not ready to join Mr.. Lewis nor
any one else in taking a walk when
the Democratic convention gets
under way.
Senator Wheeler is wise. He knows
that the history of third party move
ments has not been a happy one.
Theodore Roosevelt learned a sad
lesson with his Bull Moose party in
1912. That "bolt" ended not only in
Teddy's defeat but in disaster for
the divided Grand Old Party. It is
hard to believe that either Senator
wheeler or Mr.. Lewis would delib-
erately heighten chances of Repub-
1can victory in November by splitting
the Democratic vote.
Mr.. Lewis says that he expects to
marshal under the banner of Labor's
Non-partisan League, of which he is
chairman. such groups as the Amer
lean Youth Congress, the Townsend
old-age pension proponents, liberal
agricultural" organizations and Negro
associations. He may have trouble in
co-ordinating these diversified ele-
ments, however, each of which is
more interested in its own particular
wants than in the welfare of other
groups. It is not easy to picture the
youth congress becoming greatly
exercised over the plight of the old
people. for example. Most of these
groups do have one thing in COM
mon-bigger and better handouts
from the Federal Treasury, but the
American people as a whole are
showing an increasing aversion to
further spending. More than likelv
Mr.. Lewis, who considers himself to
be an astute observer of the Ameri-
can political scene, has no serious
Intention of launching third party.
He probably wished only to frighten
the Democrats into going down the
line for the Congress of Industrial
Organizations when platform-mak-
Ing and nominee-picking time rolls
around. The first reaction to his
threat in Washington has been
exceedingly mild, however. And If
Mr.. Lewis was just bluf1ng, he may
find himself in a position from which
1t will be difficult gracefully to with
draw when the bluff is called.
And early returns from the Wiscon-
sin and New York primaries do not
lend encouragement to either third
party or third-term movements.
Those contests were fought out along
regular two-party lines, with no indi-
cation Of intraparty disafection ex-
cept as to one issue-a third term for
MIR. Roosevelt. The vote accorded Mr..
Garner already is being interpreted
as an anti-third-term protest, and
the size OF this vote is not to be made