The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-09-02
Frederick Haskin's Letter
POLITICAL EFFECT OF THE STRIKES


at the workers or the emnlovar.
who brought about the strikes and ,
II they are sufficiently aroused IN
be determined to bet back at Soma
one it is altogether probable that
they will undertake to do this a,
the polls.
Logical or illogical as il NAV ho
when the voters seek to register y
protest they invariably do IL nv
voting against those in authorize
1t matters not wether the admins.
trati0n was really in any degree
responsible for what happened or
whether it has proceeded tarefu,lv
and wisely in an extremely difficnit
situation. The history of politics
N this country shows that when
, The protest idea gets possession Of
| any considerable element of the
people it overshadows the rea, is.
sues between the parties and the
one IN power is in for trials and
tribulatlons. Accordingly, the
leaders now have their ears to the
ground in an effort to ascertain
just hoX-formidable rumble OF
protests there is abroad in the
land.
Democrats Hope to Profit.
- In the circumstances the Demo.
Gratis, OF course, are hopeful that
their party will profit from the
popular discomfort over the labor
situation and-the manner in which
it has been handled. They reason
, that if the tide turns sufficiently
strong against the Republicans it
must sweep some Democrats into
office, and some of them are so On
timistic as to say that it will not
be necessary for them to make
much of campaign this year. "Sit
tight and don't dock the boat" is
their slogan.
There is, however, a phase of the
situation mat bothers the thought
full men high in the councils of
both Republicans and Democrats.
That is the possible extent to
which the industrial war has TO-
mented radicalism and dissatisfac-
ton with both the old parties and
contributed to a new political
movement.
! This is not of especial import
ance insofar as the elections this
year are concerned, but it does
have a decided bearing on the cam
paign two years hence when the
presidency will beat stake. Unless
the unexpected happens there will
be no third party movement this
fall, except possibly in an organ
ization way. However, 1924 will
see at least one new party in the
field, and possibly two or more,
and this is a cause of concern to
the leaders Of both the old parties.
If the industrial troubles have
tendency to wean Republicans and
Democrats from their present af-
filiations this fall the Independents
who are bent on forming new
party will do what the Progress
sNes failed to do in 1912, will be
encouraged to redoubled efforts,
and already they are sufficiently
active to alarm some of the old
timers.
1t goes without saying that Pres
ident Harding is deeply interested
in the result of the congressional
elections in November. Democratic
gains in the house and senate will
be hailed as a popular verdict
against the Harding administra-
ton. This may not be wholly JUS
tilted, but If the Democrats should
gain1controi Of either branch of the
congress the president will be
greatly handicapped in carrying
through his legislative program
and in making the record upon
which he will go before the coun-
try as candidate for a second
term.
/ No one doubts that Mr., Harding
desires to be reelected and il is
generally conceded at this Time
that his party will renominate him.
However, should the dreams Of the
democrats come true and the cleo
! tons this year result in anything
approximating a Democratic land
slide, opponents of the president
within his own party might decide
to start a fight to make him a one
; termer.
|: The president has had to bear
; the brunt of much of the criticism
of the manner in which the gov
| eminent has dealt with the strike
| problems, so it is apparent that the
{ political consequences of these DIS
, turbances is matter of import
ance at the White house as well as
| at the capitol.