The New York herald., 1922-05-18
THURSDAY, MAY is. 1922.
Liberal-Insurgency Coming Into
the Foreground.

the Foreground.
Tuesdays primary election in Penn
sylvania is big in meaning. 1t is
bigger in meaning following the Indi-
ana primary election than it would
be if standing alone. Indiana's pri-
mary election now looms bigger in
meaning in connection with Pennsyl-
vanias election than it did standing
alone.
The Pennsylvania election registers
an unmistakable victory for Liberal
Insurgency over the old Penrose-vare
political machine. And as we'll it reg
listers a great victory for decency, for
cleanliness, for honesty. for ability.
for courage, for character. and this
applies to both Senator PEPPER and
CLIFFORD PINcHoT.
Pennsylvania more than any other
State in the Union is the stronghold
of political reactionaryism. In con-
trast Indiana is volatile in her poll
tics. The Indiana primary election
considering the extraordinary per-
sonal campaign made by BEvERIDGE,
was no more than mildly suggestive
of Liberal-Insurgency. The Beveridge
triumph might have meant this in
part and might not have meant it
at all.
But with the result of Pennsyl-
vania's primary election before us one
may be justified in assuming that the
spirit of Liberal-Insurgency was effec-,
tive in some measure with BEvERIpGE
in Indiana, as it clearly has been with
PINcHoT in Pennsylvania.
Senator rgrpER's great triumph is
cnorv- Justly significant in view. of the
..lct that the entire force of the bonus
propagandists concentrated their at
tack on him because of his outspoken
opposition to the bonus. They fought
him with all the fight they had in
them, fought him with fanatical
frenzy. at the same time marshaling
all their strength for Congressman
BURKE, a vociferously outspoken ad-
vocate of the bonus and follower Of
FoRDNEY in support of the bonus in
the House of Representatives
With Senator PEPPER conscience.
honesty, patriotism meant more than
his election to the United States SEN
ate, as they should mean more to any
man. To him the bonus was clearly
a raid on the national Treasury
wholly without justification. and he
came out squarely against it in con-
trast with Congressman who know
better than to give it their support
but support it by way of paying their
election bills.
Senator PEPPERS triumph Tuesday
in spite Of the fight against him
shows, as THE New YORK HERALD
has maintained all along, that the
bonus bogy is a fiberless thing capa-
BILE OF projecting fear into the hearts
of political cowards--not into the
hearts of men of courage and grit.
CLIFFORD PINcHoT's campaign in
Pennsylvania was conducted along
much the same lines as BEvERrDGEs S
in Indiana. 1t was a crossroads,
grass root campaign, personal cam
paign in which PINcHoT went among
the people, talked to the people and
gave them a chance to know him.
And il was in the farming sections
and the smaller communities he
rolled up his victory that overturned
the city work OF the Penrose-vare
machine.
But PIScHoT's triumph means more
than personal triumph. 1t means
that the spirit Of Liberal-Insurgency
Is still force to be reckoned with in
American politics.
IL happens, and there is not much
Significance in the happening. that
both BEvERIDGE and PfNoHoT were
outstanding figures in the Roosevelt
ranks Of 1912. The Progressive"
tag as such. however is not playing
an important part in political matters
to-day, but the spirit of Liberal-rnsur-
rency that gave entity to the Pro-
gressive party, gave it vitality and
substance, Is obviously reasserting
itself--the spirit that never downs.