Editorial: Better Senators
“Cotton Ed” Smith’s defeat in the South Carolina Democratic primary and J. W. Fulbright’s lead in the four-way primary contest in Arkansas should raise the level of the U.S. Senate.
Mr. Smith represented the worst in the Senate, and thanks to his 36 years of seniority, the “Dean’s” power for evil had full rein. Governor Johnston, though taking the same white supremacy line as Mr. Smith, is better in most respects. Mr. Fulbright, as a freshman member of the House of Representatives, made history with his international organization resolution. We hope this brilliant ex-president of the University of Arkansas will win the senatorial runoff primary if one is necessary.
As usual in state contests in a presidential campaign year, politicians and dopesters are trying to read national significance into these primary results. The voters apparently were fed up with two old officeholders and wanted a change – Senator Hattie Caraway of Arkansas, who was given her late husband’s office 12 years ago, ran a poor last in the field of four.
Using age and change as the test, these primaries might indicate a popular drift, but since the pro-Roosevelt Johnston beat the anti-Roosevelt Smith in South Carolina and FDR was not the issue in Arkansas, there doesn’t seem to be any clear evidence of a national trend.