The New York herald., 1922-07-09
BLOC TOUT OF TUNE,
/ DISCORD BLAMED ON
REPUBLICAN GREED
Another Disturbing Affair
Is the Recent Backing
of McCumber.
TARIFF is THE MENACE
Agriculturists Are Accused
Of Favoring the Specially
Privileged One.
DEMOCRATS IN REVOLT
DEMOCRATS IN REVOLT
Members of the Supposedly
Non-Partisan Combination
Are Out in the Cold.
BY LOUIS sEIBoLD.

BY LOUIS sEIBOLD.
Special Dispatch to THE New YORK HERALD
Now York Herald Bureau.
Washington, ID. c.. July 8.
A disturbing degree of insurgency
threatens harmony in the agricultural
bloc most powerful independent
group intent on debating the policies
Of the two major political parties.
The unfortunate Senator McCum-
ber On. d. bowed down by the weight
of an unpopular tariff bill and discred-
tied soldiers bonus scheme. is prima-
rily and perhaps unconsciously the
cause of much dissension among the
dirt farmers" who frequently have
defied the Harding administration and
the Republican majority in Congress.
The Endorsement of Mr.. McCumber
for denomination by the leaders Of the
Republican wing Of the organization
of the so-called farmer organization
has greatly incensed their Democratic
conferees.
The farm bloc was projected as a
non-partisan or bipartisan enterprise
to assert the supremacy of agrarian
demands favored at the expense of al
legiance to either political party. As
long as w. 8. Kenyon of Iowa, now a
Federal Judge, remained at the head
of the farm bloc partisan politics was
nicely balanced in the operations Of
the Congressional tractor. and there
was no complaint from either Repub-
licans OF Democrats OF favoritisn or
inequality.
This impartial policy was continued
under the leadership Of Arthur Cap
per, the millionaire Kansas Senator
who succeeded Mr.. Kenyon, UP to the
final stage Of the bitter primary con-
test in North Dakota. The candidates
of the two parties in that State pledged
themselves to support the policies Of
the farm bloc. Mr. O'Connor, candidate
for the Democratic nomination, con-
ceding nothing in this line to Mr.. Nc
Cumber, who was defeated for the Re-
publican nomination by former Gov.
Frazier.
Departure From Ethics.
The desperation of Mr.. McCumber
appealed to the sympathies of the lead
ers of the wing Of the farm bloc, how
ever, and they united In an appeal to
the farmers of the State to cast their
votes for Mr.. McCumber to the detri-
ment Of Mr.. O'Connor. as well as Mr..
Frazier.
Chairman Capper of the farm bloc,
Mr. Curtis. the Senate Republican
whip, and Mr.. Gooding, the idaho
champion of the "downtrodden agri-
culturist," united in an appeal to the
North Dakota farmers in behalf Of
Mr.. McCumber. Democratic leaders
of that State. who were quite as anx-
ious to roll up very big vote for Mr..
OConnor. have called the attention of
this violation of bloc ethics to the
spokesmen of their party In the SEN
ate. They have demanded that Demo
cratic leaders of the farm bloc ask
the pertinent question, Where do we
come imp"
Similar complaint Is made by Demo-
cratic leaders in wyoming. where the
influences of the Republican wing Of
the farm blocs In the Senate and the
House are being exerted in behalf of
Mr. MondelI over Senator Kendrick.
both of whom are important chips In
the bloc. In the Iowa contest bloc
leaders in both houses of Congress at
tempted to swing the farmer vote to
Representative Sweet. the original
bonus man in the lower house, who
finished bad fourth in six cornered
race.
The activities of the Republican
chieftains Of the Congressional farm
bloc have been so obviously partisan
as to provoke a vigorous protest from
their Democratic allies, who assert
they have respected the ethical fea-
lures OF the non-partisan agreement
made when the agriculture bloc was
formed.
The North Dakota. Iowa and Wyo-
ming incidents have served to reveal
the presence Of a large sized parasite
in the agricultural ointment. so to
speak. These episodes have recalled
various other victories upon the part