Show New York Whirligig The Mows Navis Behind the Iho News Newa S POLITICS FINANCE By JAMES McMULLIN NEW YORK N New w York political political po po- po- po observers rB are keeping ft a careful ey eye on th the La Ln They Are quietly organizing what looks looks' like a really effective tive third party pl nucleus Their new Form Farm Labor federation federation built built around their Progressive party party has has aready al already ai- ai ready acquired tho the full tuil support of ot the Wisconsin Socialist party and t the e Wisconsin Federation of La La- bor borIts borIl Its It's understood the next step will be to reach out and absorb the neighboring Labor Farm party party par par- party ty of ot Minnesota If successful in that they will be bo in a position to start a campaign of ot gradual national national national na na- na- na infiltration Watch Vatch John Joh JohnLewis JohnLewis Lewis of the United Mine Workers Work Work- era ers if It the movement gains Impressive Im Im- Im headway Informed sources would not be e surprised to to see him swing his large organized labor Jabor I following into line at a psychological moment The La will not enter their political colt coit In the 36 sweepstakes It will be kept under un tin n- n der cover until it gets gels its growth and and anyway Roosevelt is their man this year They are shootIng shooting shoot shoot- ing tag for 1940 and 1940 and wise vIse New Yorkers York York- ers era rate te it an u odds on bet that by then th their organization will will be strong enough to give the older parties a whale of ot a fight Governor Alfred M. M Landon regIstered registered reg reg- reg better in his Kansas day radio speech than financial men had expected Scouts reported a favorable public r response from various sections to the governors governor's temperate attitude in contrast to the ferocity displayed by other re recent recent recent re- re cent political broadcasters br Moreover Landon is Ia gaining supporters I In Inner circles that count count among among those who foot the bills They are more confident of his conservatism than they are of and they figure Knox h has about shot his bolt They have thought well of the governor gov gov- truer right along but along but until last week they were not convinced that hat he could comm command nd enough of ofa a popular following to make him worth backing across the board The big money boys are not yet irrevocably committed committed but but their friendly interest wont won't hurt Landon Landon Landon Lan Lan- don any behind the G. G O. O P. P scenes This doesn't mean that Landon Is la in Borah doesn't like him and and Borah cannot safely be ig Ig- ig- ig nored Knox is understood to prefer V if he c cant can't if have lave the nomination himself The reg regular lar Republican a senators rs would rather have ave on one of Of t their own own There are plenty of hurdles for forthe forthe forthe the Kansan to jump but his chances have materially improved I. I New York utility leaders wonder wonder won won- der where Senator Joe RobinsOn son got rot the nerve nerve to take a crack at atthe atthe the Jie power trust in his hi radio re reply reply reply re- re ply to Al At Smith Joe was counsel for Cities S Service Service Ser Ser- r- r vice and for Electric Bond and Share until a couple of ot years year ago He severed these connections only when they threatened to become politically lly embarrassing In one case he be collected a fee of of from Cities Service He is 15 still sUlI In an m mI I Intimate friend of ot Harv Harvey y Couch whO whose e appointment to the tho In inal l R F C q board he sponsored Couch is Is- Isa a big shot hot of ot Electric Bond and Share the Share the company the thel l securities securities' exchange commission feels is most vulnerable rable to a a. suit to enforce tho the h holding company act Joes Joe's critics remark it It was wai the them m money ney he made mada as a a utility lawyer lawyer lawyer law law- yer which gave him hint the financial Ind independence to become a senator and bitterly quote the serpents serpent's tooth adage A number of ot n new w strip sheet steel mills have recently b seen been built near PIt Pittsburgh burgh The old type of ot mill needed men to turn turnout out tons of ot steel a Tho new type requires only 1 12 men to produce that much in a month This This' increased efficiency was not motivated by any need to step up production The old mills were operating only at about one half capacity The sole object Is to cut labor costs costs both both directly and by s saving on payroll taxes Imposed Imposed imposed im Im- Im- Im posed by the social security law This is an ou outstanding example of ot the accelerated replacement t of men by machines recently machInes recently discussed discussed dis die cussed in this column It gives further striking evidence that continued continued continued con con- business recovery is not likely to bring the unemployment problem noticeably nearer to a so so- so lution Informed financial sources get word that serious trouble Is brewIng brewIng brewing brew brew- ing in China A flare up is due Inthe in inthe inthe the near future that will give the Japanese en excuse to press pres their campaign of ot penetration Any Anyone one of four fuses might explode explode ex- ex ex v the powder keg The communists communists com corn have lately been making rapid gains and might start something something something some some- thing under the guise of a patriotic uprising against the Japanese in In- In The Japanese themselves might promote another of those unfortunate Incidents which de demand demand de- de mand inand prompt retribution The government restive res ree- ree tive live under Japanese domination because Japanese e economic aid hasn't been forthcoming in the measure promised promised might might precipitate tate an open break 0 Or there might be bo a complete Chinese fi financial financial fl fi- collapse The Japanese military authorities ties are reported on alert to take advantage of whatever Happens Insiders understand that Governor Governor Gov Gay George Georg L. L Harrison of the New York Federal Reserve bank is Is- Isto to be reappointed to the job with the new title of ot president Not bad for tor a man supposed to be bean on the skids back in in- 1933 You hear hearit it said that this is his reward reward- for being a diplomat and and- knowing how to take orders order orders even even when he didn't agree with them New York gets a kick out of the story that Senator when asked about his hi farm program pro pro- gram gram replied replied I 1 haven't any I 1 dont don't know enough about it Comment runs that such unique candor in a politician certainly rates a medal for valor Copyright McClure Newspaper Syndicate |