The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-12-28
FARM BLOC CAUSES
COP. MOST WORRY,
ASSERTS SULLIVAN
Continued from Page One.

Continued from Page One.
hand many examples of unquestion-
able class legislation enacted in be-
half of relatively small groups"
These sentences are. Of course,
merely detached portions of Mr.
Wallace's longer utterances, but
they are not an inaccurate index
of the bent of his convictions.
What the Republican manage
ment is trying to decide is whether
they shall read the farm bloc out
of the party or. on the other hand,
do what shrewd politicians have
often done, namely, embrace the
insurgents and put them to the
front OF the party organization. The
early talk. has been chiefly in the
direction of outlawing the bloc. The
suggestion has been made seriously
that farm-bloc Representatives and
Senators who are candidates for re-
election the coming year should be
denied the aid of the party organ
ization. Specifically. the suggestion
has been to refuse party funds for
the local campaigns of these candi-
dates
To that there are several an
swers. One is that there is nc
leader or group of leaders in the
Republican party today that has
the personality to enforce any such
ruthless policy as that. Mark HannA
would have done 1t. Joe Cannon
in his prime, would have done it.
But there are no Mark Hannas or
Joe Cannons in the Republican
leadership today. Moreover. mos,
of the idividual members of the
farm bloc would welcome such an
action. 1t is exactly what would
most securely entrench them in the
affections of the voters of their
districts.
Strongest Party Unit.
The truth is, the farm bloc is the
strongest and most compact group
in the Republican party. 1t has
more of the elements of leadership.
and a larger following, than any
other single group in the party.
The heads of the farm bloc have
the quality indispensable to lead
ership of knowing exactly what
they want. They know what they
want. and they have belief in its
righteousness. The older party
this PtyShoi
lcal equipment of leadership. In a
time that is politically and econom-
ically chaotic they have no program
about whose efficacy they are GER
tain. They don't know just what
kind of a tariff they want. They
don't know whether to revise tax
alton again this year. or to let it
stand as 1T Is. They don't know
hAt -
not. 1t would probably be more
accurate to say they would prefer
not to add an adjusted compensation
act to the present burdens of the
treasury, but they feel that they
must do SO in order to satisfy q
strong popular sentiment.
In this sea of boundaries, the only
guide for these older Republicans
who lack the personality of lead
ership is political expedieney. Be-
determination of farm bloc leaders,
1t is not hard to guess who will
prevail.
Sympathy for many of the specific
measures demanded by the farm
bloc should not blind anyone to the
plain fact that this . is not ideal
leadership. 1t is primarily a sec
tional or group leadership. In the
held Of general legislation, apart
from the special program with
which they are familiar. the farm
bloc leaders are no more able. to
see the bottom than are the older
party leaders. But until some one
turns up with real gift for lead
ership in the broadcast sense, it Ia
likely to be the farm bloc leaders
who will set the pace.
Copyright. 1871