Show NATIONAL NA AFFAIRS Reviewed by y CARTER FIELD Washington rr speculates as McNutt or Roo Roose Roosevelt c- c velt will trill benefit most bythe by bythe the thc McNutt appointment d Many MarlY senators and ami reps rep rel representatives opposed Roosevelt on the thc neutrality issue are arc privately for lor him hint Voters V oler o of 0 f North Dakota disapprove of 0 three proposal proposals pro pro- owls by y which old age old age pensions were to be bc financed WASHINGTON Nothing Interests interests inter Inter- ests eats Washington so much as whether President Roosevelt or Paul V V. V Me Me- Nutt benefit more by the McNutt appointment The McNutt people are certainly pleased Its like this said a close friend of McNutt You may intend to go goon goon goon on a picnic next Thursday You have no doubt about it whatever The hot dogs and potato salad are ordered The site selected and the time arranged But Dut Thursday mornIng morning morn mom Ing when you wake up it is raining cats and dogs Well Well unless unless you are a most moat persistent fellow you fellow you dont don't go on the picnic Most of us think that Mr Roosevelt Roosevelt Roose Roose- velt veld fully tully intends to seek another term We think he is confident not only of but of re re-elec tion But next June it may be raining rain rain- ing not Ing-not not cats and dogs but maybe term anti sentiment or maybe New anti Deal sentiment Then Mr Roosevelt may decide not to go to the picnic If he reaches that frame of mind our Paul will be the logical nominee Just look the situation over and try to put yourself in Roosevelt's shoes if it should be raining next June Naturally he will want MInt theman the theman theman man who succeeds him as 81 President to carry carryon on the policies of the New Deal that Roosevelt has fostered But Dut what figure of sufficient prominence prominence prominence nence In the Democratic party except except ex Paul McNutt fits the picture When Jackson Flopped Then Took Up Hopkins We all knew that the President was very much in favor of building up Bob Dab Jackson Everybody knows I what th the New York organization leaders did to Jackson when the President wanted him nominated for governor of New York They turned him down flat and there is not the slightest indication that he is any anymore anymore anymore more acceptable to them now than he was then After the Jackson fiasco Basco the Presidents President's choice seemed to be beHarry beHarry Harry larry Hopkins But Dut even aside from the condition of Harry's Harrys health It Is generally realized by D Democratic Demo Demo- Democratic mo- mo cratic leaders that Hopkins for Various various va Va- rious reasons would not be a strong and e candidate and the men who will do the voting at the Democratic convention con can want to pick a winner They will want to keep their jobs Everyone knows that the President President President dent would never stand for John Nance Gamer That Just about leaves Cordell Hull always Hull always excepting except ing McNutt for McNutt-for for nobody thinks that Henry Wallace would run well in New York and New Jersey both of which are pretty nearly essential to Democratic success Incidentally the reason that Ohio and Indiana elected so many Republican congressmen conn con can gressmen last year was dissatisfaction tion in those two states with the farm program There are excellent reasons which we do not propose to discuss why Mr Mull Hull would not be a satisfactory satis factory candidate next year These reasons are in addition to his age and to the fact that In some parts of the country his reciprocal trade treaties are not popular So all in all remembering that McNutt is a o smart politician and therefore will certainly not break with the President who else is If there If its it's raining President Wins When Wrong And Loses When lies lie's Right RightA A surprising number of senators and members of the house who have been openly against President Roosevelt on the neutrality issue are privately for him More accurately they think and will tell their newspaper news paper friends that the President is right But Dut they hasten to add that it is political murder I Some of them personally would be glad to see the President stump his toe political ly Others Other would like to see aee him re re- I elected There seems to be no party par ty line and no factional line It Is rather interesting by the way that a section cross-section of private views of the congressmen is that the President was wrong on the monetary monetary mone mane tary bill Is right on neutrality and hence he has won on the issue on which he is wrong and lost on the Issue on which he be is right But Dut by far the majority of Democratic Demo Demo- cratic cratie members of the house and senate knew perfectly well that their constituents didn't care a rap about the monetary bill that bill that on next election elec elee lion tion day no votes were to be won because the candidate had fought the President on that issue Therefore There fore if lf the Individual al senator or member of ot the house were a Democrat Demo crat and thinking simply of his own selfish interests it was obviously the wiser course to vote with the the- President President dent on this measure But Dut on neutrality that Is different differ differ- ent eat In every state stale and probably in every congressional district there is an element which believes believe that the sale of war supplies supplies particularly particular particular- ly Iy arms ammunition and Implements implements implements ments of war war is Is not only wicked but likely to involve the United States on the side of the belligerents to 10 which they are sold View Neutrality as Most Yost Important Political Issue Moreover a certain percentage of these individuals feels so strongly on the subject that when election day comes they are apt to be controlled controlled controlled con con- trolled in their voting by this one issue alone Which means that they would vote vole against a congressman who voted for the President on the neutrality Issue Obviously to 10 a person who thinks that shipments of arms are apt to result in his or her sons being sent overseas to be maimed or killed in ina a war in which that person has only a remote Interest is likely to regard the neutrality issue as the most important political question in inthe Inthe Inthe the world and to vote for or against a representative or senator because of his stand on that Issue regardless of how he may vote on other roll calls It is these issues on which minorities mi ml become so excited and on which they are not likely to change that become No 1 problems to politicians poll polio who have to run for fol office always remembering that there are exceptions to all rules and that some men on Capitol Hill will vote for what they think Is right regardless regard less of the consequences to them selves But Dut this number unfortunately unfortunately or fortunately as the case ease may be is so small that one need not worry much about It in After all voting the way ones one's constituents want one to vote is the essence of representative government gov got though It may be argued that it is always a minority that frightens the politician Only minorities minor minori ties are likely to remember an Is Issue is Ii sue with bitterness until election day Referenda in North Dakota Is Studied in Washington lington The vote in North Dakota on referenda ref erenda to provide money for Increased increased in In- creased old age pensions is being studied very carefully in Washington Washing Washing- ton by both New Dealers healers and advocates advocates advocates cates of a balanced budget It presents presents pre pre- cents problems to both In close touch with the situation Sen Gerald P P. Nye of North Dakota Da kota was receiving figures next day and insisting that it was really D a a. a scrap between some seven political factions on the anti side and that headed by Ex William Langer Longer Langeron Longeron on on the pro side aide When precincts had reported the vote stood against the gross Income income income in In- come tax for tor it II for tor forstate forstate state liquor stores supplant to the present privately operated system of liquor distribution against for suspension of highway construction for two years against Whatever the political complications complications may have been the fact remains remains re reo re- re mains that the voters of North Dakota Da Dakota kota always regarded as a very radical state disapproved by a ratio ra ra- ratio tio of greater than six to one all three proposals by which the increased increased in in- creased old old age age pensions were to be financed The increase In old-age old pensions from an average of 1711 lit it is calculated calculated cal eal on need to 40 had been pushed through the legislature by Langer Now it will fall fail through lack of revenue On the same day that reports from the North Dakota election were being being be be- ing received by senators the senate voted 43 to 35 31 for tor an amendment Introduced by Sen Tom Connally of ot Texas to have the federal government government govern govern- ment contribute to old-age old assistance assist ance ante payments in the ratio of two to toone toone toone one Instead of half haU and half Taxpayers Interested Only When Somebody Else Pays Ilas This favorable vote was recorded In spite of an impassioned plea by Sen Harry Flood Byrd of Virginia that the movement to have the fed fed- eral government pay all the cost of ot old age assistance was under way and ind that thai the Connally amendment was the first step The really interesting part of all this Is that apparently tax-payers tax will not vote to impose on themselves themselves them them- selves taxes they can clearly see for tor such a social purpose but they are ire all for them if It they are convinced convinced con can vinced that somebody else is paying pay pay- ing them Most people believe that the rich pay the federal taxes It is very difficult to combat this view especially to people who pa pavery pay very small federal income taxes or orlone none lone at all And this goes even for people who pay taxes on homes Many of these are terribly interest interest- ed d in keeping the expenditures of their heir home city down they down they dont don't want vant the tax rate on their houses boosted But nut It is a very simple matter to prove that the overwhelming pro pro- proportion portion of federal taxes is paid by persons with incomes under 1000 a i year The proof lies in the fact that hat If all the incomes from 1000 a year upward were subjected to a per cent federal Income tax and ind the federal treasury really got I all ill this money it would not come within hundreds of millions of dol dol- tars lars ars a year of paying the federal expenditures Bell Syndicate S Service |