The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-18
bR00KHART |S STORMY SPOT IN STRUGGLE
Will Harding Seek to ConciI- fate Radicals or Turn Guns Upon Them?-TWo PoI- icies Being Urged by
 His Friends

WASHINGTON, March 17.-Begin- nines of a serious republican fight which may assume proportions like the Taft Roosevelt split have been started by the attempt of one group to read Senator Smith W. Brook hart of Iowa, out of the republican party. This move, breaking out after dispute which has been waged in the inner circle of the party since the November elections, is likely to have far-reaching effects on the fu- ture of the republican party.
 II forces President Harding as the official leader of his party to do one of two things: First, suppress the Gie-hards among the old guard and conciliate the progressives, or, sec ond, declare open warfare on the progressives with the probable eff feet of forcing them into an open revolt which would endanger pros- poets ci carrying the 1924 election DenOunccs BroOkhnrt.
 Tho National Republican. the semi official organ of national republican committee, contains an editorial this week dcnouncing Senator Brookhart and accusing him of holding ideas which are thoroughly un-republican and un-American," and worse than those of TrotsEy.
 "The time has come.' the edi- torial continues, If the republican party is to survive. when there must be some test of republicanism to be applied to men who seek office at the hands of the republican party. The republican party does not exist merely for the benefit of office seekers.
 The editorial assails Brookhart principally for his endorsement of cooperative marketing societies such as have existed for years in Great Britain, Denmark and other Euro pean countries.
 Does Harding Approve.
 Tt seems inconceivable, the edi- torial continues, "tnat any memoer of the Senate would seriously ad- vance a doctrine so fanttstically sub versive of the fundamentals Of free government as this bayonet-backed Cooperative idea
 Some republican leaders, friendly to Harding. said they did not know who had authorized such an utter ance and they were inclined to donpt that it had the approval of the Presl- dent Ii was pointed out that the cooperative idea. which is the basis of Brook hart's alleged heTesy. is ac- tively fostered by the department ot agriculture under authorization from Congress.
 Two factors within the Harding camp have been recommending op- posite policies. Chairman john T. Naams. of tho republican national committee. who is from Brookhart state. has insisted upon rigid adher- eHce to the traditional conservative :..fx ltfia Secretary of Agriculture Wallace. al SO from Iowa. declare that the last elections showed the country IS lean ing toward progressive ideas and and the party, in se!t-detense. IT Tor TO other reason. should recognize this fact and adapt itself to the new political complexion of the country. sccs siens of Times.
 Harding, while man of the old school before entering the white House. has kept an ear open to the progressives within his party. and they hope ultimately to win him over to liberal treatment of the insur- gents pointing out that. otherwise. he will run into the same kind CT a break that Taft encountered.
 Progressives. meanwhile. are main taining an independent attitude. Their forces have been swelled by the last election until they number more than the republican margin in each house of Congress. They still class themselves as republicans. but none of them are worried about being read out of the party. What they hope to do is to be the party them selves. They always have the club of s third party. but thus far they have preferred to work within the repub- lcan organization. and mould 1t to meet their ideas.
 But the nearer the next campaign draws. the nearer they and the con servative republicans come to a snow down. The progrcssves arc now churning up popular sentiment. Rorah is to address a state wide progressive republican rally at Ak ron. O., next Wednesday and he may naturally be expected to discuss the question of how the republicans shall deal with his group.