Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-07-17
TO SCALP la TOILETTE
q. o. p. VIII Probably Aid Len.
root TO Beat Wisconsin Sem
ator Because Of Third
Party Trafficklng
Chicago, July II.

4
CENAToR LA FOLLETTE'S traf
~ ticking with the third party move
ment here has given his opponent'
in Wisconsin encouragement in the figh
which Is being made there to take th
control OF the Republican party II
that state away from him. The issu
In Wisconsin is whether Senator Len
root can be returned to the Senate mex
fall.
Senator Lenroot has the support o
all the regular Republicans and tn
sympathy Of the Republican nationn
organization, but IL Ia conceded that III
to the time La Toilette indicated hi
willingness to leave the Republican
party and lead movement whici
have had the fight OF his life to secure
re election.
Ia Toilette and Lenroot we're old as.
sociates in Wisconsin politics. Lenroo
being originally La Follette's ables'
supporter. The two parted company
some years ago. Lenroot remaining q
progressive Republican and La Toilette
going far toward radicalism.
Differed Over War Declaration
They differed over the war. Lenroo,
supporting It and La Toilette being one
Of the few members Of the Senate to op-
nose the declaration Of war. In the
primaries last spring for the control OF
the delegation to the Republican ma :
tional convention La Toilette. with a
platform that was not Republican but
intended to be used as the basis Of the
third party movement, defeated the
Lenroot ticket.
Since that election Il has been gen
erally feared in Republican circles that
Lenroot would be unable to secure his
own denomination to the Senate. This
has been a cause Of great regret In
Republican circles, where Lenroot Is
highly esteemed for his character and
ability.
The attack upon La Toilette will be
based upon his disloyalty 10 his party.
The senior senator from Wisconsin is
now n Republican only in name. For
months he has been at work trying to
build up a third party which would take
away from the Republican party several
normally Republican northwestern
states.
The third party convention here has
furnished the evidence of his activities.
Gilbert e. Roe, of New York, formerly
his law partner, was one Of the original
members Of the committee of ten which
organized the Committee OF Forty eight
at the convention here. Roe twice pub.
licly stated that he was the agent of
La Toilette. He did this at the COM
bined Labor party and Committee Of
Forty eight convention in Carmcn's
Hall. when the labor people accused the
Committee OF Forty eight Of leaving out
T., II Il. !
cause Senator La Follette's agent had
deemed it cxpcdient to do so at that
time.
The intention seems to have been to
keep La Follette's relations with this
third party movement under cover SO
that he would be no way committed to
ferences here. Roe participated as one
mittee of the Forty eight, but he re-
mained silent, listening to the discus
sion and making no suggestions. thus
NJ ting no pressure upon the conferees
in behalf Of the Wisconsin senator.
When the radical tendencies Of the
Labor convention threatened to make it
impossible for La Toilette to become a
candidate, Roe submitted to the Labor
conferees platform upon which he
said La Toilette would be willing to
stand if all the elements would agree
to accept it, and from that time on he
participated openly in the discussion
as the agent of La Toilette, finally, as
already set forth. publicly declaring
himself to be La Folette's representa-.
tive.
Planned Third Party
The so-callcd La Toilette platform
was written here by one of the men
associated with Roe, but it is pat
termed upon the La Toilette platform
used by the Wisconsin senator in the
primaries last spring and introduced by
his representatives in the Wisconsin
delegation into the Republican national
convention at Chicago. The evidence
is conclusive that La Toilette had a
third party movement in mind when he
drew up this platform, which he used
in the Republican primaries.
1t was common talk here among the
members CT the Committee of Forty
eight that in all negotiations for the
formation of the third party extending
through many months, they were in
frequent communication with La Fol-
lette and were assured Of his willing
ness to become their candidate IL they
formed a movement sufficiently promis-
ing.
There is little doubt that Roe entered
the executive committee of the Com
mittee of Forty eight months ago as La
Follette's agent for the purpose of Or
ganizing party which would contrib
ute to the defeat Of the Republican
party. All this evidence is now in the
hands OF the Republican party man
ayers. The third party convention, with
its public dispute, disclosed the whole
story.
Anti Republican Movement
1t is matter of record that In Fol-
lettc was an active promoter through
his agent, Roe, of an anti Republican
movement in the fight for the renomina-
ton OF Lenroot. This evidence of La
Follette''s disloyalty 10 his party will
be put before the voters of Wisconsin.
The national Republican organization
wants to get rid OF La Toilette. His
name was hisscd every time the Wis
consin delegation recorded its twenty
four votes in his favor at the Chicago
convention.
What impression the proof of La Fol-
lette's disloyalty to the Iianublican
party will make upon the Republican
voters OF Wisconsin no one here knows.
A large section Of those voters have
followed La Toilette personally rather
than the Republican party, but he has
never before openly tried to lead them
into q new party