Democracy's Day

Bitter winds swept through the streets of Harrisburg one day last week, but every Democrat in the city glowed with a great inner warmth. Side by side the nation's No. 1 Democratic boss and Pennsylvania's No. 1 Democratic boss grinned under their top hats. Row on row sat some 100 Democratic Congressmen, who had had a House holiday declared for the occasion. Just ahead of Postmaster General Farley and Senator Guffey marched George H. Earle, 44, wealthy Philadelphian who shed his Republicanism in 1932, contributed handsomely to the Roosevelt campaign fund, was rewarded with the U. S. Ministership to Austria and was now about to be inaugurated Pennsylvania's first Democratic Governor in 40 years.

Up to the inaugural stand marched he and took his oath with a firm "I do." Down from the stand marched the two-time Republican Governor of Pennsylvania. "So long, Giff!" yelled one in the crowd. "You ought to be ashamed of yourself," screeched another. More cries and catcalls followed plain Mr. and Mrs. Gifford Pinchot as they drove away, bound for the South Seas.

The crowd, estimated by the arch-New Deal Philadelphia Record at 100,000 and by the arch-Republican Philadelphia Inquirer at 15,000, roared cheer on cheer as Governor Earle outlined his plans to give Pennsylvania a thoroughly Rooseveltian New Deal. In less than 45 minutes the Republican State Senate confirmed the Governor's cabinet appointments, which included State Democratic Chairman David L. Lawrence as Secretary of the Commonwealth. It took 2 hours and 45 minutes for all the National Guard regiments, bands, cadet corps, political clubs to march past the Governor's reviewing stand. That night 5,000 celebrants danced at a glittering inaugural ball.

A cold awakening had Governor Earle next morning after this day of heart-warming mummery. His State Treasury was almost empty. Somehow he had to raise $6,000,000 to see Pennsylvania's 900,000 unemployed through the rest of the month. With vigorous, able Robert L. Johnson, who took a year's leave from his vice presidency of TIME to serve Pennsylvania as State Relief Administrator, Governor Earle motored to Washington. Last autumn FERAdministrator Harry Hopkins cold-shouldered Governor Pinchot because of Pennsylvania's refusal to foot a fair share of its Relief bill. To Governor Earle and Administrator Johnson, who promised cooperation, he extended a hand laden with $6,000,000.

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