The New York herald., 1922-10-23
Nagel Says Party Lines Are Fading
Tafs Secretary of Commerce and Labor Sees Signs of
Disntegration and Nation Awaiting New Leader.

Special Dispatch to THE New Yolx HnRALp.
ST. LOUIS. Oct. 22.-Charles Nagel.
Secretary Of Commerce and Labor in
President Tafts Cabinet. in a statement
made public to-day regarding the polit-
ical situation, said:
There Is no immediate prospect of a
new party. mainly because no new issue
so far commands national support. No
leader has given point to the popular
protest of 1920. Both parties show signs
of disintegration. Issues are obscured :
party lines are fading; unquestioning
party loyalty has been shaken. An elec-
ton contest no longer registers the trend
of national public opinion. Restless in
dependence is cropping for expression.
THE philosophy of government by
parties presupposes agreement upon
principles or Spolicies. to the success of
which the voter will subordinate his in
dividual preference on minor questions.
To-day we drift without direction, pur-
pose or unity. Senator Lodge represents
the habit reaction of the past. Senator
La Toilette opposes the party's present
record. Mr.. Brookhart of Iowa, adj
vocates new policies that neither party
would embrace. If these candidates are
all Republicans, how can a Republican
voter establish his party loyalty?
"Only the shell Of party organization
remains. The unifying ideas have faded
out. We have neither will nor capacity.
to reconcile old principles with novel
conditions, and to grapple with the great
problems thrust upon us by our chang
ing world. In local contests such a con-
dition may pass unnoticed but where
national and International affairs are at
toly nn nnchallanRed
I'VE are without party policy In DO
nestic affairs. as we are on interna-
tional problems. We have tariff COM
promise, a bonus fiaseo, ship subsidy
program, with the position Of both
parties underlined. We have no party
policy to govern our relations to Rus
sja, to Mexico, to Haiti. Neither party
takes a stand on the fundamental in
ternational principle involved In our
treatment Of private alien property. on
Constitutional guarantees or the release
of war prisoners. Although the eco
nomic life of the nation is at stake. we
drift without program fitted to the new
world condition, without unified peo-
pie to give support and release to our
statesmen for constructive action.
"The League of Nations gave lip wor-
ship to new international ideals, while
it cloaked the most aggressive and sim
lister Imperialism. We waste time in
sentimental enthusiasm for that league
of hybrid purpose or we spend time In
congratulating ourselves upon our es-
cape from it's political commitments
Neither party faces the problems OF the
economic rehabilitation Of the nations
The world waits for the leadership of
the United States, but we fail to formu-
late or to Q" c1urage a policy and per-
nit the great opportunity for construc-
tive building of new international rela-
tionships to pass unused.
"As in the days of Washington, JEFF
ferson and Lincoln the people demanded
equality for the individual. so to-day
the world calls for fair economic oppor
tunity for the nations. No people can