Pueblo chieftain., 1921-12-25
Ia DEAD, SCORES HURT IN STORM
The Spot Light

The agricultural bloc in congress
cd legislation like team of balky
mules in front of an automobile. The
importers bloc will insist that protec-
tion shall not be carried to the extent
of diseouraging production by the war
worn peoples of Europe.
The job hunters bloc looks with
disfavor upon the policy of economy,
and its position receives strong sup
port from the job holders bloc The
Borah bloc is opposed to everything
including the peace conference, while
the Reed bloc is opposed to every
thing, particularly the peace confer
ence and the La Toilette bloc is op-
posed to everything.
The Democratic bloc has been able
thus far to prevent final report in
the Newberry case, which the Repub-
lican bloc succeeded in carrying thru
the dangerous period of the Wilson
administration. The Leonard Wood
bloc has momentarily put the kibosh
on the plan of Filipino independence,
and President Harding has pardoned
the Debs bloc out of the blockhouse.
The United Mine Workers bloc is
blocking the Kansas Industrial law
and that bloc or some other, is con-
tinuing the strike in the southern
Colorado coal fields, where most Of
the mines are closed thru lack of or
ders
Some other blocs seem to be losing
their power of obstruction. The Irish
Republican bloc is willing to ratify
the peace treaty with England, in
spite Of tho Friends Of Irish Frsedom
-at-a-long distance bloc. The labor
department bloc has raised ths block
ade for incoming immigrants at Ellis
Island and in Pneblo, the snti-im-
provement bloc is quite generally
signing the paving petitions.
The steel-buyers bloc has ceased to
block orders for the Minnequa plant
and the prospects for continued and
regular operations now seem excel
lent. The merchants bloc is looking
forward to improving conditions for
mex. year, and the Santa Claus bloc Of
Christmas shoppers gave Pueblo real
holiday appearance with the help of
the weather bloc that supplied real
snow for the occasion.
Bloc i. a French word. 1t is what
is left when the good English word
block gets the "k' out. 1t means
Just what the English word means, a
more or less regularly shaped piece
of something, and is commonly as
sociated in the popular mind with
blockade or blockhesd. Strictly
speaking bloc has no qualification of
good or evil. In the political sense
it means n group, acting together for
a group interest. as distinguished from
political party.
The appearance of the word bloc
in tho United States is significant OF
new political conditions which have
been common enough in some other
countries. The agricultural bloc in
congress is composed of congressman
who were elected ms Republicans or as
Democrats, but who arc ready to OBJ
struct the party program and to pre-
vent the fulfillmcnt of the party
promises IN the effort to serve local
or class interests.
II the blocs become numerous
enough they will destroy the parties,
and government will become a matter
of combinations between blocs, no one
of which has sufficient strength to
assume tho responsibility for govern
mcnt. That will not be n good thing
for the people, but it will he good old
summer time for the political schem-
ers who excel in the art of combines
and compromises.