Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-08-12
WASHINGTON D. c. Aug.

wv new political party Is promised for
the 1924 campaign. 1t will be
known as the Liberal party, according to
the story that has reached Washington. 1t
will present national ticket and may put
candidates into the field in, various states.
AS yet the new movement lacks lead
er and financial angel, it is understood,
and these may be regarded as rather Sc
rious deficiencies. 1t has proponents but
no protagonist It's machine is in the
building, but the lubricating oil and fuel
are not in sight Also it may be said that
the prospectus does not set forth the big
idea that is to yitalize the new movement.
History records the fact that if it is to
attain formidable proportions a new po-
litical party must be formed around per-
sonality or an idea. Roosevelt and the
Progressive Party and abolition and the
Republican Party are cited as the consp1c-
uous examples. If the proposed Liberal
party can present neither a Roosevelt nor
an outstanding issue it may afford moth
ing more than food for gossip during these
political dog days.
However, the enthusiasts declare that
the movement will develop the requisite
leadership and that it will present issues
a plenty when it goes into the campaign.
For the present the important thing on
the program is to foment discomfort within
the ranks of the Republicans and Demo
alraeady under way on small scale and 1t
is to be expected that there will be more
of it as the weeks roll by.
It should be stated at the outset that
the Liberal party is in no wise to be con-
founded with the Henry Ford presidential
movement. One of the missionaries Of the
new cause who came to Washington from
New York a few days ago said so un-
qualifiedly. The Ford movement was de-
scribed, however, as strongly indicative OF
the demand for new deal in national and
political affairs and was in that sense
highly significant.
A Party of Protest
Wading through the somewhat vague
generalties of it's advocates one finds that
the new. party is to be Fundamentally
party of protest-a protest against the
manner in which the two old major par
ties, the Republican and Democratic, are
managed and a protest against the kind or
administration either of them give the
country when it is in the ascendancy.
There has always been more or less dissat-
sfaction with the two old parties, it is
the White House invariably engenders hos
tilities and criticisms that can be coined
into political opposition.
Just now it is claimed that there are
serious discussions within the ranks of
both the Democrats and the Republicans
The former are divided into Wilson and an
ti-Wilson elements while the latter are
segregated into administration and anti-ad-
ministration camps. It is argued that while
that state of Woodrow Wilson's health
makes it impossible for him to become the
field general of his party, the former pres
ident is asserting a kind Of leadership that
will foment discord to a degree that the
Democrats cannot hope for victory in 1924.
AS to the party in power it Is commended
that differences over patronage and legisla-
tion and the alienation of friends or the
making Of enemies by President Harding have
created conditions such that it will be ex-
tremely difficult for the Republicans to
present anything like an united front in
the next fight for the presidency.
In the circumstances say the Liberals
if they may be so designated--it is only
necessary to bring together the dissatisfied
in the two parties and unite them with the
large Independent element that there has
been in the country since 1912 to have a
new party that might sweep everything be-
fore it two years hence. Old line poiti-
clans are inclined to agree with this, but
they say the one essential thing cannot be
done.
There are plenty of malcontents among
the Democrats and Republicans" said one
Of these veterans in discussing the new
movement, land there are plenty of in
dependents who are simply malcontents of
another stripe. But you couldn't get them
together and hold them together long
enough to run a campaign and go to the
polls. You can't make an aggressive dis
ciplined army out of deserters and slack
ers."
Without doubt the third party movement