Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-08-10
EDGAR w. lANk
On Political ORGANIZATION

DOLIT1CAL organization, always difficult
i of perfection, must take into considera-
tion a number of new factors as well MS
few old ones if it is to maintain its old time
power, in the opinion of Edgar W: Lank,
chairman of the Democratic City Commit
tee of this city and County Commissioner.
This city and State, for instance. SAID
Mr. Lank, "have a political organization Ill
the Republican Party, perfected. SO far as
party organization goes, to the nth power
Because they happen to be strongholdS OF
this party, it ia more likely to win at elec-
tons for the most part than>its opponents
and therefore it has more to offer IN the way
of incentive to the active units that consti-
tute the working organization.
$50 the heads Of the organization have
their general county, community, city, ward
and division leaders and all the various
workers under them, who are able to hgure
out the public pulse Mt any time. Ihey
have the names, addresses and. in a general
way, the history of every one living IN their
section They know to large extent their
political leanings, their personal feelings
and idiocyncrasies, and they know how to
approach them when the time comes to get
out the vote.
Results Have Been Shown
"The importance of this can be realized
when YOU study the history of former cleo
tions and find that the average voter does
not come to the polls unless he has an
incentive, or else when big issue or an
unexpected and sensational happening has
aroused him and for the time being he is
stirred up to come out and express himself
BY word of mouth or by casting his ba Hot.
But otherwise many voter only manitests
this spirit when some one else succeeds arti-
fcially in stirring up this feeling or state
of mind lie then Is made TO feel the i'm
portance of voting and once more comes to
the poling place and manifcSts his feelings
in substantial way.
"But this must be remembered The po-
litical organization is first of all a business
deliver the goods. If they fail to do so
they are fred and some one else takes
their place, just as in any ordinary business
organization. So, consequently, it is easy
TO understand why the workers are loyal to
their organization. Advancement awaits
those who make good and demotion and
elimination Is the fate of those who fall
down. And as patronage IS the basis on
which they work, one can readily understand
how it is that there is comparatively little
trouble in securing loyalty.
Too Much Power Fatal
at IS bad thing in community to have
one party enjoying nm overwhelming su-
ppriOrity Naturally the workers in party
are more interested in the party for whom
they are working than in the people whose
votes they seek. This condition, in fact, Is
likely to extend throughout the party and
will exist to a greater or lesser extent ac-
,cording to the strength or weaGneSs of the
strongest opposing party.
"a change in conditions during recent
years should give those interested in party
organization something tG think about. The
war has made many persons think differ
emily than they used to. Equal suffrage has
in Philadelphia, for instance, put a couple
Of hundred thousand voters in the field who
were not there before.
"Thc average voter IS likely to be uuito
sincere about what he does and more iutor
estcd in principles and people than in some
Of the purely political phases of the matter
under discussion.
THE woman voter, to whom tho ey
ppricnCe il q new one. will inject an element
| of uncertainty as to what Is likely to hpnnan
| that will puzzle politicians for some tina to
| come Naturally, women are Interested in
| to create number. So If the astute noli-
| tician knows his business lie will be- far
| seeing enough to realize that these fnctors
must be taken into account and thDt nm
organization that merely serves ttsoIs ia
| likely in the future to lind its mnchinnrS
| sadly disturbed.
Ample Issues on Hand
'"rhcrc are enough real issups lrforn tbo
| pdblir uud large "nOugh rrrrrntppr nf thn
population thnt ~ Ind"u"uGrul Mt ,II tiu,.
| tn turn th" srnl"s H. a,u",t any nIrrt,on "a
| make possible ST. uns minority party tI,ut
| properly handled, can often win out at eIar,
| tion time and at all other times keen ths
! other fellow on his toes. 1t is therefore to
III