The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-12-10
PRESS ON PROGRESSIVE" BLOC

p0fltlcal unlt neadeu Dy senator Lar oileJts is sufficiently weird to attract wide edito- rial attention. Just how large this unitsis does not yet appear, but in Congress di- vided into many groups it welds power not possible under normal conditions Blocs are the political fashion just now, with apparently no more logical basis than any other fashion. Since LaFollette is not republican, democrat nor anything else in particular, he is a fit leader for political nondescripts.
 The meetings of the new bloc in the opinion of the New York Tribune, are "more than anything else, tribute to the prowess in Congress of the farm bloc."s Doubtless the inference is that MT. LaFolette would copy al political model that has in his opinion been successful. It may just as we'll be, however, that MT. LaFollette desires to take advantage of this political breaking-up into units and acquire large legislative chunk of. his own. The New York Times thinks that LaFollette and his followers remember the Roosevelt schism and "the progressive disturbers of the peace at Washington scarcely take pains to conceal their belief that history will repeat itself in 1924. How ever, they are not content to leave history alone and unaded. Its pace is too slow for their impatience. So they propose 10 help 1t along, to spur it's Hanks and to make sure that it does not forget to do what they expect of it. Hence their prepa- ration of neat little program of legisla- ton intended to expedite the march of events Even if it (history), with unwonted good nature and docility, should set out to repeat itself in 1924, it might be unkind enough to stage again the calaml- tous failure of Senator LaFollette in 1912"
 Refusing to consider LaFollette too se- riously, the New York Journal of Conn., merce asks and passes on the following question: "Does LaFollette, with all his vagaries and lack of understanding of the Fundamentals of American institutions, really represent the people of Wisconsin or is he merely the beneficiary of temporary mob psychology? The same question might be asked concerning a number of others in our official life today, and upon the answer must depend in large part the real future of the nation." The Journal sheds some light upon its own opinion when it observes: "The founders of the republic did not believe that in all cases and at all times the people would decide rightly. Their belief was that in the long run the judgment of the people might be relied upon, and, of course, this makes 1t necessary that the run be long enough in order to give the people time to think" Perhaps when the people of Wis consin come to do their own thinking in- stead of letting LaFollette do it for them they will have no further use for this adroit political manipuator.
 While sympathising with the hopes of men in shops and on farms throughout the country, which they look to the progressive bloc to fulfill through legislation, the Kan sas City Star concludes that ''the family that makes itself progressive bloc of one to improve its conditions by intelligent ef- fort and'thrift will accomplish far more than can be accomplished for it by any progress sive bloc in Washington" The Brooklyn Daily Eagle is not disposed to be hostile to the new bloc, and says if it can force through its program of election reforms "the country will be duly grateful" Just why q specially devised bloc should be necessary to the purpose, however, the Eagle dooes not un- dertake to explain. It seems that some papers give little too much credit to the bloc's wholly unselfjsh and patriotic motives.
 The Providence Journal, while commend ing the bloc for whatever sagacity is dis played in disclaiming any desire to form third party, turns suddenly and applies the lash. in the stinging comment that "no scruples are to be permitted to interfere with the breaking down of party discipline by bloc action at Washington" Perhaps MT. LaFollette feels that he personally owes no allegiance to the republican party, from whose fold he once bolted, and to, which he has never completely returned, but those with him who vera elected by straight party vote to occupy their present positions cannot so lightly discard party allegiance without looking with dread upon that day when their constituents are sure to call them to account.
 In the view of the Louisville Courier Journal, the democratic party is not es- pecially endangered by the bloc movement, while the republican party is now ~shaky and groggy. . It's peril is that, in, venturing from it's old solid base of con servatism and reaction in an effort to find stepping stones through the currents of radicalism, it may lose it's footing and floun- der out to sea. The democrats should sit steady in the boat, breast the radical waves and let the republicans founder" Cruel, but doubtless good political strategy.
 All in all, the LaFollette movement is not l taken 50 seriously as its adherents would