Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-01-05
Wanted: An Issue
b. Frederic j. Haskin

Washington, d. C., Jan b.--Among
the high leaders Of the two great parties
which have fought all our major political
bouts since Aae Civil War, there exiBis
feeling of bewildcrmcnt They find them-
selvrs on the eve Of another Presidential
campaign with nary an issw between
th4rn Thev are about TO fight, and fight
To the bitter returns-no DOUBT abo1.t
that. But what are they gong to fight
about7
Some people think there fs plenty to
hzht about. Labor, for example, wants
government ownership Of railroads, and IT
uants the government 70 reclaim lands
and make farnr There are severa other
thing, il wants Any party or any leader
that will champion labors dfmands vii
not lack vomething To fight about. And
the farmers think there are nsues, too.
They also favor more government owner
ship and control, especially the meat
packers and storage interests. hey are
making their desires more emphatic and
articlIlate every day.
And the ultimate consumer bellcves
| that the high cost Of living is worth more
specifc attention than il has yet received.
| Any leader who would nun on q platform
70 make the dollar buy as much az %
certain amount of backing.
All nf these various demands might bc
considered ixsucs by mere amateur IN the
great garne Of politics Politicians know
| better. These thing, are not ISSUES, IN the
,artisan political sense; they are known
| instead, as dynamite, and they are labelled
| keep of
OF course eaeb Of the great party plat
| forms will contain a few sonorous phraees
| On labor. promiripg it equity, luftice, ard
| \ few abstract things ike that And each
Of thern will refer gracefully 70 the nlral
| population and promise 70 solve Its great
| problems without telling hov, ard each
/ giIl 90 so fsr ~ to admit that IT. Will re-
| cfire the high oost of living, h,lt neither of
| thern will offer specific u,Istard plaster
! for that annoying sweilIng. And both Of
| them. inevitably, will say pist about the
! ssrrae thing No. gentlemen. there IS no
| itR,ie nothing thst can he safely
| whoored ,tp in tho newspapers and shout
| si from the sturnp~ What we nerd e
| something wholly irrelevant ard unirn-
/ r,ortant abcalt which we may f'rlTniy
| disagree
Tnr WV CAMPAIGN.
Ask any Republican highly placed
politically and nc will TIL you that this
campaign is to tre made on administrative
economy. on Americanisrn or law and
order. Walk around the corner and tut
] tonhoie an q,aliy highly placed Demo
/ rrst and he u1fl tell you that Law and order
| Auericsnirrn, administrative economy,
are 10 he III. vatchword Of the next
campaign.
If the League Of Nations l. mentioned
h, = good Republican he vii hasten n
assure you that the fearie of Nations
ard Americas particlpat tion IN world az
/ fsirs are not political reSues Demo
| crat will give YOU the sane assurance 10
! te x1re, Representatives of the two par
/ tics arc fighting esch other tooth and nail
on the ixsue but when il is suggested that
/ il he thrust INTO The campaign, III hands
| are raised 10 quietIng admonitinn
And the old lss,ieB oi yesterye4r the
tariff. expansion, retention Of the Philip
pines, the fsll dinner pail turn the ras-
Gals out" al the old fashioned issues are
gone.
So the leaders are beating the bush and
are saving, one 10 the other, I'VE ve gotta
| fight but What the dickens are We gonna
| fight about
And from this situation grows the great
est political novelty Of the time N the
form Of committee Of so carefully select
/ ed bu.h-bea ters 70 20 forth IN the high
wsvs and bv-vays IN search Of an ISSUE
| The Republican Central Committee has
/ decided upon such committee Its
personnel will be announced IN two or
three DAYS Good men. tried and true,
puLse-feelers Of national reputation. are TO
be selected Between now and June thew
are to work diligently. Y hen convention
| time comes they ere 20 have found some
thing TO fight about.
sEPUBLIcAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE.
The Republican National Committee
| takts this venture very seriously Is
coJnIni ttee Is 70 be made up OF the very
best material in the party Ii sill IN
| nsdlstCIy resolve Itself into suhcommit-
ter. There will De 3 subcommittee ID
fna out what the farmers want. one q
| ktrn what the women voters most desire