The sun., 1915-11-14
MURDOCH PREDICTS
DEMOCRATIC SPLIT
rroprcssivc Chairman Thinks
Preparedness Plan Means
Smash.
SAILS AWAY TO SEE WAR

Advocating the extension Of the in
como tax to pay the cost of the coun-
,ry's defences, expressing approval of
the swiss plan OF universal service and
n-edictng that the Democratic party
will be ''churnng on the rocks within
sixty days" Victor Murdoch OF Kan
sas. chairman of the Progressive Ma
.ional Committee, sailed for Europe yes
,.rday. He is going to see the war and
write stories for "A weekly newspaper.
Mr.. Nlurdock had prepared "A written
abatement for the reporters, which he
supplemented with several verbal ex-
orcssions uf opinion. Asked how the
proeressiyos would pay for prepared
ness, he said
81 favor a national inheritance tax
and Al income tax Oh incomes as low as
$1,000 believe the people want to lie
rrepar,d against invasion and are will
ing TO pay for It,
eth, Democratic national programme
u alyug the lines entertained by the
proyres.ives. but 1t Is spread over too
lo,g a period and is wishywashy. The
military. programme reminds me too
much Of q picnic. or course Congress
will want to issue bonds to pay for pre-
parcduc-s, hut it ought to brace up and
loyy the taxes, even II some votes are
lost"
uf Eihu Root Mr.. Murdock said
Roots been smashed. There's a di-
y,uity that watches over children. drunk
ards and radicals. but II doesn't extend
10 make believe reformers like Root
A par, uf Mr. Murdock's written state
mcnt follows:
with a Congressional programme
which will have the Democratic party
churuiug ON the rocks within sixty days
and with the Republican party divided
and confused in its couusels TO de
gree II has never been before. the Pro-
gressivc party has every reason 10
plunge into the 1876 campaign with
VIM. vigor and a determination to win.
president Wilson cannot put his pre-
parednoss programme through a Demo
cratic caucus, and he knows IL. and ir
appeali-g 20 the Republicans for help h,
vii only split his own party the more
In th.s he Will have the aDle assistanc,
os Mr.. kitChin, the Democratic fiJoi
leader. who Is agoins; the preparedness.
rrocrammc toJta and nail and who Is L.
U.Any respects he ablest fighter in Con
grrss And Mr. Bryan. who Is alread,
breaking up tho furniture In the interes
" the propi ganda of peace, IS loadini
W. whole battery Of high explosive
guns Oh the single term pledge and th'
lnQu;y OF Manhattan Club connections.
In the Republican party Mr.. Taft o
Oh'o has been switched out of the Prcsi
dyatih race hv conspiracy In Ohio
which eliminates Herr,ck and Willis an,
ewes that state IN the national conven
t5n to senator Burton. and Mr.. Taft II
his familiar impersonat!on as the M,
.oral blunderbuss ha- come back carry
.nC the banner Of Elihu Root. Afte
discovering that Mr.. Rot had just beel
U,f.at,d 10y j00.Ooo votes in his owl
state uu hi own Constitution Mr. Taf
las naturally announced that Root /
'lc logical candidate of the RepuolicaI
pa-,y
"'rIr prOgressiyes will present a M
q nA iiclct which win personify thei
platform dud inspire among the indie
pendent voters from all parties the onl
Ua''y - purpJs, worth while In pUl.tics
aunt, ias,d upon a common adherenc
- principle and free from the persona
GRADES and the barter of individual as
'.-a,.Jus which characterize both tn
4.I parties and which in being detr
.,.'.' ,u tho couutry's welfare has n
tle ,tu, time driven one party on sh
r,ct. and has the other party ioundci
ne u a choppy sea. with the capital
Steering strang" course with NUT
nous rev