Evening star., 1944-10-29

boltlng his party ticket to support
President Roosevelt, chiefly on the issue
of foreign policy, caused ripple of ex-
element in the rival political camps the
past week.
To Democrats it was cheerful news.
Republicans will minimize its impor-
tance, but no party is ever happy over
. detection in its ranks. How many
voters are affected by such develop
rnent two weeks before the election will,
of course, always remain a matter of
speculation.
If there is substantial bloc of vot-
ers who wait, like jurors, until the last
political speech has been delivered on
November before making up their
minds it is conceivable that some of
them would be impressed by the de-
cision of public figure to risk his
political future by opposing his party
ticket.
Stassen Forces Try Harder.
Whatever the effect may be nation
ally, there are indications that in this
particular case Senator Balls action
may have the reverse effect in his ma
tive State of Minnesota. 1t so happens
that Senator Ball first came to the
Senate in october, 1910, by appointment
of former Gov. Harold E. Stassen,
to fill vacancy. In 1912, he was elected
for the six-year term. Mr. Stassen Is
now a naval officer serving in the Pa
cific theater of the war and is consld-
cred promising Republican presidential
timber for the future. Senator Ball has
emphasized that he acted without con-
sultation with Comdr. Stassen, and the
commanders friends made the same
point in Minneapolis few days ago.
Senator Balls announcement came
from Washington as Gov. Dewey was
entering Minnesota to campaign, and
there were strong indications during
Gov. Dewey's visit to the State that
Stassen supporters would redouble their
efforts to carry Minnesota for the Re-
publican national ticket Comdr. Stas-
sen himself is out of politics for the
time being, while on active duty.
A glance back into the political history
of the past 80 years emphasizes that
the Ball incident is not rare, or unusual
the system of having two major parties
is firmly imbedded in American politics,
but there have been frequent cases of
men who have changed party allegiance.
Sometimes they have crossed directly
from one party to the other. Occa-
sionally they have given up party label
In the hope of founding new party,
but experience has shown the establish
ing of a third party is difficult under
taking. The last two serious attempts
In 1912 and 1924 failed.
Others Cross Party Lines.
The late Wendell Willkie, who won the
Republican presidential nomination four
years ago, had been Democrat in 1882
and this year he was undecided whom
he would support. He died without max
ing known his choice.
Senator Wheeler, Democrat, of Mon
tana came to the Senate in 1923 and
year later accepted the vice presidential
nomination on the Progressive third
party ticket, as running mate of the
late Senator Robert M. La Toilette,
father of the present Senator. The
Progressive ticket lost, and Senator
Wheeler has continued to win re-
election to the Senate on the Democratic
ticket, with a record for independence
of action on specific issues
The veteran Senator Hiram johnson,
Republican, of California was Governor
of his State in 1912 when he became
the vice presidential candidate of the
Bull Moose" Progressive party on the
ticket with Theodore Roosevelt. After
the defeat of that party and the restora-
ton of unity in Republican ranks, Gov
johnson was elected to the Senate and
has served continuously since.
The late Frank Knox was the Re-
publican vice presidential nominee with
ALI M. Landon in 1886, and four years
later became Secretary of the Navy in
President Roosevelt's cabinet. At the
same time Henry L. Stimson, who had
been Secretary of State in Republican
administration, became President Roose-
velt's Secretary of War.
Four States Switched.
In the 1928 election, when the late
Alfred E. Smith was the Democratic
presidential nominee, the crossing of
party lines reached point where four
States of the Democratic Solid South
Virginia, North Carolina. Florida and
Texas-went Republican
-; Il lyt,oc
that suggested the possibility of another
political revolt in the South against
some New Deal policies, especially re-
lated to States rights, but by convention
time in July it had subsidized into con-
test confined to the picking of vice
presidential nominee.
There are no present signs of up
heaval in the solid South, but Repub-
licans are putting up determined fight
for the normally Democratic border
States of Oklahoma, Missouri, Kentucky,
West Virginia and Maryland. Their best
chance of breaking into this area ap-
pears to be in Missouri.
In those, as we'll as other States, the
Republicans are hoping for a stronger
showing of anti-New Deal sentiment
among Democrats than occurred in 1910,
when the President kept his popular
vote above the 100000 mark, even
though Mr.. Willkie brought the 1886
Republican vote of 16,679,583 up to
22,3o4,755.
How much anti-fourth- term senti-
ment there is among Democrats this
year only election day will show.
Divide on Issues.
In Congress there has been strong