Evening star., 1922-12-13
Politics at Large
BY n. o. MESSENGER.

Indications are accommodating that the
next republican national convention
will be called upon to deal with the
question of the party going on record
as to proposed notifications Of the Vol
| stead law. New York and Pennsyl-
vania. 1t is believed by politicians. will
force the issue and will be supported
by groups in other state delegations.
creating a bloc which cannot be ig-
nored.
The republican party organization in
New York state is in process Of being
| reorgpnized and will soon be under the
leadership Of men who are not inclined
| to have the party hold out against what
appears to be the wish OF large pro-
portion Of the electorate of the state.
as shown by the returns of the lates
election on the subject Of modification.
Credible information is at hand showing
a similar tendency in the republican
| organization in Pennsylvania: disincli-
nation to shoulder the responsibility of
putting the party practically in the at
titude OF supplanting the old prohibition
party as the upholder Of strict prohibi
| .ion, they say.
It would be futile to speculate now
on the outcome OF this movement. but
,lt would be senseless not to recognize
that 1t is on. That there will be siren
uous resistance to the proposal to put
mod1hcatIon plank in the national plat
form Is certain. The delegates from
states that favor the strict enforcement
Of existing law will resist the sugges-
/ tion that the party Is taking the place
vance the contention that if there is to
be a division along wet and dry lines
! the republican party should take high
est moral stand upon it.
x x :: =
The attitude Of the republican leaders
VINO Will recommend having the party
take new position on the Volstead act
Is characterized as being strictly utili-
/ tartan and practical. 1t does not neces-
| sarily follow that they all believe In the
ethical wisdom Of modification. but
rather consider 1t a political exigency
which must be recognized and met by
affirmative action. They assert that the
vote last November showed plainly
| that the voters In many states not only
wanted this change. but In order to start
IN me machinery t;i,iny were willing to desert
! cal organization which favored It,
1 SO, In the next republican national
| convention the contest for 'liberaliz-
/ ing the Volstead act will he between
prospects for 1921 will be better con-
served by keeping hands off the law.
FOR moral and ethical considerations,
and those who will maintain that
! pr, practlcal politics" demand a declara-
ton in sympathy with what they main
; tain is a widely prevailing sentiment
, among the voters.
~
| Unless the democrats under the lead
ership of Gov. Smith, In the New
York legislature which meets January
]. succeed In repeating existing state
| law and return to the primary system
Of nominating state officers. the Empire
state bids fair in the new year to pre-
sent the spectacle Of politics being ruled
by two strong men who will be practi-
cally dictators to their respective par
ties. 1t will be something like the
good old times" when Thomas c.
Platt and David b. Hill were the arbit-
ers of the republican and democratic
parties.
The republican organization by the
first Of the year will be in control of
Senator Wadsworth. The defeat Of Sen
ator Calder by democrat leaves the
entire party machinery In the hands Of
Mr. Wadsworth. who will proceed, 1t is
said. to make many changes in minor
compact organizatio
Gov. Smith will be recognized as
the unquestioned leader of his party.
through his control Of patronage and
New York city. with graphing iron
on Tammany. All democratic roads
will lead to Albany and the republican
highway to Washington will be well
traveled what time Senator Wadsworth
is at the capital.
The forecasts frequently made by
politicians that the formation of a new
party In this country to advocate class
legislation would encounter difficulties
through the Intrusion Of the radical ele-
| ment seeking to get foothold are al
ready being borne out.
The convention now being held in
Cleveland of the farmer-Iabor-railwa
socialist vote finds itself in hot water
over the efforts of radicals. and. more
, over, OF some denounced as being worse
than radicals. who want in." Even be-
fore the credentials committee was able
, TO make up the roster of the convention
! the row set in and ragged furiously.
Some Of the socialists, although renre.
sented in the original meeting of the
party for progressive political action
at chicago are now experiencing diff
Guilty In getting into the convention.
The solid backbone of this proposed
new political group is composed of some
OF the railway brotherhoods and allied
union labor organizations These men
are neither anarchists. radicals or ultra
socialists. but are straight out loyal
Americans. They have naturally re-
sented the appearance of elements
which would in their estimation dilute
the new party with radicalism. and in
the case of one element would pollute
u. as charged in Mondays meeting of
, the convention.
X x *x
Veteran politicians at the Capito1
say that this incident furnishes ex.
emplffication of the inherent weak
| ness of the practical working out of
plan for party composed of spe-
| cial interests. such as the farmer
labor, railway and socialist vote. The
movement is born containing the
germ of its own decay and failure. in
that the aims and objectfves of the
classes composing 1t must OF neces-
sity clash at times. The farmers
want lower freight rates, vet if is
physical certainty that if lower
freights and passenger fares are OBJ
tanned wages of railway men must be
/, cut: and the maintaining of good
wages and securing of better is the
object of the railway bloc in the
movement. The socialists for their
part have doctrines that would not
ity Of the farmers. because they are
destructive of DroDerfy rights and