The Washington times., 1922-03-17

regular Republican and Democrats
party tickets.
The efforts to this end are better
organized than they ever were be-
fore and they give fair promise OF
producing in the next Congress not
only farm bloc" but also a labor
bloc" combined into q farmer
labor bloc" operating under the old
party flags, but pursuing theic own
special purposes.
The perfect embodiment Of this
| idea is Col. Smith Brookhart, Of
Iowa. who is running for the Repub-
lican nomination In Iowa for tho
Senatorial seat recently acited by
Mr.. Kenyon and now occupied by
Senator Rawson.
Colonel Brookhart IL a farmer
who has a high popularity in farm
ers organizations. At the same time
the State Federation Of Labor ard OF
| the railway unions in Iowa. Ee II
| said also to be strong among SOL
| diers In view Of his service in~the
army and In view Of his devotion
| to the art Of shooting. He is re-
ported to have trained large num-
bers of young Iowans in that art in
preparation for service overseas. His
platform Is out and out for the spe.
cial interests Of the farmer. the
wage-earner and the ex-soldier.
Two years ago Brookhart came
quite near to defeating Cummins.
This year, with much more discon-
tent among farmers and en,onS
wage-earners and among ex.soldiers
he hopes to win the nominatio
against any and all comers who may
fail to recognize that discomfort :.
Brookhart's own statement. Of his
political program il the most candid,
defense Of the bloc idea that has'
ever been put. forward in this
country. After Announcing that he
Is for the bonus and for legislative
protection to maternity and infancy
and In favor of cooperative control
Of production and Of credit and OF
marketing" on behalf Of the farm.
ers and the wage-earners, Brook.
hart says:
''The development of our country
has divided our people into blocs
with divergent interests. It IL i'm.
possible to represent all Of these
conflicting blocs. No honest nan
will pretend to do IL.
| II now herewith announce the
blocs that I intend to support and
the blocs that I do not intend to
support.
II will not support the railroad
bloc, the steel bloc, the oil bloc. tho
tobacco bloc, the beef bloc. the money
| bloc, the Wall street bloc, or the
United States Chamber Of Commerce
bloc.
"On the other hand, for 365 days
In the year I promise to support the
fight for the farmer bloc. the labor
bloc, the soldier bloc, the mothers
bloc, and that part of the. buciness
world which co-operates with these
blocks for its prosperity"
The bloc business Is thrivinc also
In other parts Of the West. In
Oklahoma the president of the State
Federation Of Labor and the presi.
dent of the farmers union-v-hich
Is said to be a very powerful orxani.
zation--have both of them been tour.
ing the State for q local Okla.
homa farmer-labor bloc called The
F "a rm err Labor Reconstruction
League"
lhSy TCSCltAy Hciu u SJat0 con-
vention with more than 700 dele.
gates reported present and nomi.
mated the mayor of Oklahoma City.
former railroad conductor, for
governor. He will run in the Dem
ocratic primaries. The Tulsa World,
a Democratic newspaper, is quoted
as having conceded that he will
carry those primaries and become
the regular Democratic nominee for
the position Of chief executive of
the State.
Conventions on the same model
are about to be held in Indiana
and In Wyoming. A large meeting
OF wage earners and OF farmers
was recently held at owo.so. Mich.
In Congressman Fordney's district
to indicate a combined farmer.labor
opposition to Congressman Ford
ney's ideas, policies. practices, and
general political characteristics and
habits.
Similar outbreaks in q degree
never before reached can now be
noted in numerous different parts
Of the Middle West and Of the Far
Middle West. A certain supervising
and encouraging Of them has been
organized In the form of a ma
tional committee" set up by the
recent conference for progressive
action" held in Chicago.
1t is to be noted that this COM
mittee brings together factions Of
labor which never before have CO.
operated for political purposes. It
includes on the one hand such
formerly altogether conservative per-
sons as William Green, the secretary
Of the United Mine Workers, and
on the other hand 1t includes Morris
Hillquit, of New York, who formerly
has been credited with the policy,
Socialism or Nothing"
Putting these things together II
seems probable that large numbers
Of the present members OF the
House OF the Representatives and