Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-05-23
BY HUGH =. JOHNSON

CT. LOUIS. Mo. May 23,-Out
- here IN Missouri a political
curiosity which has Just come TO
a fruitleSS end Is worth writing
home about.
Missouri has had none but an
acting holdovcr Democratic gov
ernor Stark, since the last cleo
tons half a year ago. She has
had no governor because a very
high-minded Republican, Forrest
{. Donnell. was reported by the
state election board 10 have won
IN a close race with a New
Dealer. Lawrence Mcdaniel, by
a majority of 3,6l3 votes.
Under the law il then became
the duty of the Legislature,
through the speaker OF the
lower House, TO certify the cleo
ton whereupon the governor
elect would be installed This,
by a resolution, the Legislature,
Sull controlled by the old PEN
dergaSt machine. refused TO do.
1t said the Republicans had used
money in the election.
THIS action shocked the retir-
l. ing Governor Stark. who is
rising to national prominence so
fast that if Mr.. Roosevelt, who
had never sought renomina-
ton" had not been drafted, y
Governor Stark would have been
one of the leading Democratic
possibilities.
1t also shocked a courageous
and honest New Dealer in the
Legislature. who arose in n s
place and said, in effect, that
what was being proposed was a
liquidation of American democ-
racy. He insisted that the terms
of the election laws had been
fulfilled. that there was no owl
dcnCc before the Legislature Of
any corruption except partisan
and unsupported oratorica |
statements of observation-disclosures.
AS to them. he suggested that
il was his and their knowledge
that. in tho past they also had
sanctioned tho use Of money
and that men who come plead
ing equity as amending formal
law, must come with clean
hands.
He might have added that,
whatever piddling private parti-
san money might have supported
Republican candidates, il was
trickle compared with the flood
of public money. used for parti-
san purposes. that has flowed
into the state of Missouri and
all other states in WPA, AAA.
F'YA. FILA. RFC. PWA and a
half-a-dozen other alphabetical
nozZles for waStive federal funds.
OF COURSE. the curious bed
" fellowship of a corrupt polio
zeal organization with the high
''idealiSm" of the nth New Deal
howlcd this courageous Demo-
crat down and defeated over
whelmingly his proposal that the
Legislature do its constitutional
duty.
The law was so plain that
when the case was taken TO the
state Supreme Court il ordered
the Legislature 10 act as the law
required. That court is also
dominated by Democrats $500 but
they in turn were dominated by
no political machine, either in
or out of Missouri.
This was countered by legis-
lativc resolution for a recount Of
tho ballots in precincts where
corruption had been charged.
This WaS in support of a contest
flied by the defeated candidate,
Mr.. Mcdaniel. II could have
proceeded promptly. but the in
dicationS were that il would
have more than confirmcd the
report of the election board.
Also, promptness was not
what these obStructionistS
wanted They wanted Interim
nable delaX in the installation
of tho Covernor-elect. SO re-
count Of the whole election was
ordered.
MEANWHILE, the Legislature
VI remained in session for
months al great public expense
gi,tv- cal r,,,.f ,,Ctbf,r and urifb
almost nothing TO. do except to
make a farce Of the processes of
American democracy
Then. as tho ordered state
wide recount proceeded, II be-
came increasingly clear that il
was most emharraSSingly piling
UP the majority for Donncll as
FIRST reported and cutting into
the reported vote of Mcdaniel.
This Sclf-Sought exposure
would never. never do, and so
comes the payoff Mr.. McDan-
icl hastily wlthdrawS his contest
petition This restores the order
Of the Supreme Court TO full
force and validity.
The Legislature will belatedly
do Us duty and 20 home. Gov
ernor Donnell will be installed.
but isn't the whole story a hell
OF a note2
II that sort Of thing can be
done in a state. why can't il be
done IN the nation And if il
can be done anywhere in a
democracy m aybe Hitler is
right. OF course. he isn't right.
Tor The bright side Of this story
N. lnal n tow honest COIL