Evening star., 1952-10-14
The Political Min:
California Democrats
War on Cross-FiIing
Labor Also Fights System
Thut Threw Off Machines
By Gould Lincoln

By Gould Lincoln
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 14.-Cross-fil
in primary elections, which 40 years ago
helped to sound death knell for the
grip the Southern Pacific Railroad ma
chine had on politics in this State, is
today under attack by the Democratic
Fair Dealers and labor leaders-of all
people.
If they have their way, the system.
which has built up the most Embossed
electorate in the 48 States, will be wiped
out. The argument advanced for the
elimination Of cross-flling is that it pre-
vents party discipline-the strong Or
ganization in this case being the Demo-
cratic Party in California.
Briefly stated, the cross-fling system
allows candidates belonging to one
political party to run for nomination of
other parties. It is the system which
has made it impossible for q Tammany
or Pendergast machine to get control
Of the politics Of the State. The ma
chine it knocked down-as it was
designed to do-controlled the selection
and election of candidates in both
parties. although 1t played the game of
the so-called old guard in the Republic
can Party for the most part.
Would Shock Hiram Johnson.
The cross-filing system came into
being when Gov. Oater Senator) Hiram
johnson. Progressive Republican and
Bull Mooser. was chief executive of the
State. The hard hitting, progressive
Johnson, if alive today. would be shocked
at the idea that elf-styled liberals
should be out to do away with system
designed to bar political machines. These
liberals, however, make no bones about
using, to their advantage, the political
machines which continue to flourish in
some of the largest cities of the country.
The proposition on the ballot to do
away with cross-filing is No. 13, under
the initiative and referendum method Of
dealing with such issues John B.
Elliott, chairman of the Committee to
Abolish Cross-Filing in California, is a
Southern Democratic leader. Receipts
of the committee, recently reported to
Secretary of State Frank Jordan, showed
that contributions totaled 1892. The
donors included CIO of California,
$1,000; Greater Los Angeles Council,
$1,000; California Labor League for
Political Education, $1,000, and Retail
Clerks Union ITO. $4,000. The state
ment was signed by Richard Richards,
Los Angeles County Democratic chair
man.
More Registered as Democrats.
There seems no doubt, therefore, re-
garding the sponsors of the proposition.
Underlying the proposition is the desire
nf tho nonnnNrotc n ho obIo +o hx,;1 i
a strong party organization in a State
which has from 100000 to / million
more registered Democrats than regis
tered Republicans. but has continued to
elect Republicans to important office.
Unless something is done about this
cross filing system, one Democratic
leader admitted, Gov. Earl Warren, Re-
publican, may continue to be elected
Governor for the rest Of his life. He
admitted that Gov. Warren had made
a good chief executive and given the
State an efficient and clean govern
ment-but he is not Democrat.
With Democrats permitted and en-
couraged to vote in the primaries for
Republican candidates, the party collar
does not make much Of q dent in the
necks Of the voters. Not only did Gov.
Warren win the Republican nomina-
ton for Governor in 1916, but he won
the Democratic nomination.
Defeated James Roosevelt.
That was a sad moment, incidentally.
for James Roosevelt, son of the late
President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who
was Democratic State chairman at the
time. Mr.. Roosevelt was defeated by
more than l million votes in 1850 when
he ran against Gov. Warren. He is
temporarily in political eclipse in this
State.
This cross-filing system enables the
voters to settle quickly many races for
public office in the State. About 70 per
cent of the State and Federal election
contests in California were decided at
the June primaries. In 1850, 73 contests
for the State Legislature were settled in
the primary, owing to cross filing, and
only q contests were left to be decided
at the November general election.
The system works against the theory
that primary elections should be party
elections solely. 1t gives, however, the
voter a chance to rebuke his own party
for the choices, in candidates, it has
offered him.
Mr.. Elliott and those who support
Proposition 13 argue, on the other hand.
that the cross-flling system is not only
breaking down party discipline, but Is
running the two-party system.