The New York herald., 1922-12-22
OWEN Fights MOVE
TO WIN DEMOCRATS
TO RADICAL MERGER
Drafts Progressive Pro-
gram for Party to Follow
in 1924 Fight.
CURBs CORPORATIONS
Urges Expansion OF Farm
Loans, Tax Revision and /
Rail Rate Changes.
WILSON KEEPS SILENT
Friends Oppose Oklahoman's
Plan to Ratify Treaty
With Reservations.
WILSON KEEPS SILENT
ny LOUIS sErBoLp.

ny LOUIS SEIBOLD.
Special Dispatch to THE New YoHE Herald.
New York Herald Bureau.
Washington. ID. c.. Dec. FL.
The first Democratic reJoinder to
the enticing radical Republican ges-
tres looking to progressive COM
bination" against the two older parties
was made to-day by Senator Robert
T.. owen of Oklahoma. The most i'm
rortant feature OF the Democratic
counter proposal is that 1t does not
hold out hope for q combination Of
radicals Of the two parties.
Senator Owen, who is author OF the
Currency act, now in operation, and
who was an aspirant for the Presiden-
+Ial nomination of his party at San
francisco, thinks the political stua-
ton OF the country does not call for a
third party. He Is quite convinced
that the chances of the Democratic
party for winning control Of the Gov
ernment in the next test are so prom
ising that It can afford to frown on
overtures for combination.
The Oklahoma Senator has prepared
a program which Is intended to pro-
vide the basis for the adoption Of
definite policy to guide it in the treat
nent Of issues over which the con-
(, aervatiye. the moderate liberal Gnd the
radical groups in the Republican party
will fight during the coming year. He
describes his program as progress
'sive. and not radical"
Wilson Remains silent.
y There is .p9srvrf9ssnocratic satisfac-
ton over the Owen plan on the part
Of the supporters Of former President
Wilson than Is manifested in the ap-
praisal Of It by Democratic leaders who
are clamoring for new deal. What
Mr.. Wilson thinks about 1t is some
thing else again. What Mr.. Wilson
thinks about anything political he
keeps sedulously to himself.
Efforts to involve him in factional
discussions that divide the adherents
of his party in Congress have failed
completely. That he IS keeping a
pretty close and fappreciative eye on
the Republican troubles is known to
persons who have talked with him re-
Gently. Wha, ne thinks about the
various programs proposed by Presi-
dent Harding, the radical Republican
groups in the Senate and various plans
intended 10 put his own party In fight
ing shape, is q matter of conjecture.
IL is wholly within reason that Mr..
Wilson, who was hailed as the pro-
Eressive Moses OF his party ten years
ago, will exert the full measure of his
influence TO tight any reactionary VEN
lures that might creep into It's man
agement or figure In the determination
Of future policies Mr. Wilson con-
sistently fought against the injection
OF efforts to involve his party in 'radi-
cal experiments of the sort that now
divide the Republican party. He was
far apart from Mr.. Bryan In his ap-
praisai of some OF tie issues raised by
the Nebraska evangelist. =
Recall Attack ON bryan.
Political students even recall the
declaration once made by Mr.. Wilson
that Mr.. Bryan should be knocked
into a cooked hat" because OF his ac-
vocacy Of some oe the Wild schemes
that influenced the Democratic party
TO thrice nominate him for \he Presi-
dency
Democratic leaders who will follow
the leadership of Mr.. Wilson and not
that Of Mr.. Bryan, or even Mr.. Cox,
are confident he will support some
features of the plan proposed by Sem
ator owen. Senator Owen stresses
the progressive feature OF the pro-
gram prepared by him to meet the
Republican overtures for a combina-
tlon organized on radical lines. lie
says:
THE first duty Of the progressive
Democracy IL TO put a firm. strong
hand on the interstate monopoly which
: interferes with production and dis
tribution and to establish machinery
by Which to control them ihoroughly
II would be better even for predatory
monopoly and OF cou for honest big
business as well as the producers and
consumers 20 end the abuses Of con-
troll by private monopoly"
Would License Corporations.
Among the remedies suggested by
Mr. owen as the basis for new
Democratic program is the enactment
OF. legislation requiring every inter-
state corporation to take out license
under conditions acceptable to Con-
gress and tho Federal Trade Commits
sion, with assurance that such cor
poration shall observe the antitrust
law and the Regulations affecting
their practices in commerce. The
owen plan fayors the enlargement OF
tho Interstate Commerce Commission