Evening star., 1923-01-10
Politics at Large
BY N. o. MESSENGER.

Reports are coming to political
managers of a DECIDED drift in rail-
road labor circles toward socialism.
They are of a character and appar-
ent authenticity to cause tneasiness
and as result republican party man
ayers are setting on foot a move
ment to stabilize that section of the
vote which has gone along with the
@. 0. 2. in the past. Unobtrusively,
but with earnestness, vigorous mis-
sionary work is to be conducted in
the coming months In the hope of
holding these republicans to their
old party allegiance.
Republican leaders are at a loss to
account for the threatened detection
on, any ground other than the effect
OF the propaganda in favor of gov
ernment ownership of railroads.
which. it is said. seems to be steadily
growing in volume and effect.
X * X 4
II had been hoped that since the
settlement Of the railroad strike and
the establishment OF closer relations
between employers and employed still
better harmony would result as time
went on. 1t was also thought that
railroad labor, being of a higher grade
than some other branches Of indus
try, would furnish a less promising
field for the spread OF socialistic doc
trines, and the reports of the spread
Of the infection came as something
OF surprise and shock to the poll
ticians.
The political economists find diff
Guilty in reconciling facts and theo
ries about the increase of socialism
in the United States. The statement
is frequently heard that socialism
cannot spread in a land where SO
many people own their own homes
and where there are. such substantial
savings accounts.
1t is estimated by the American
Bankers Association that there are
in the country some 27.000.000 savings
accounts. The deposits are figured a s
reaching the sum of $1,000, 900, 900.
In addition. TO be classed as savings
are the billions of dollars invested in
| liberty bonds and which are dis
tributed among people of small means
as we'll as held in large sums by the
wealthy and as trust funds.
The politicians are puzzled to un-
derstand how communistic and social
in the existence OF these facts.
X X \ 4
New York republicans, coming out
of the daze into which they were
thrown by their smashing defeat of
last November. are preparing to fight
back at Gov. Alfred Z. Smith in his
program of progressive legislation
for the Empire state. One of the
republican leaders in the legislature
was rude enough the other day to
call some of the governors policies
bunk" and from that branched out
in endeavor to prove that they are
impra cticable and could not be work
ed out Especial criticism was made
of the plan for municipal control
of transportation utilities. 1t was
charged that the overlapping of urban
and suburban lines would render 1t
impossible to devise a working plan
for municipal direction.
The democrats have been claiming
that the republicans would be forced
by pressure of public opinion to fall
in line with Gov. Smith and the demo-
cratic policies. but the republican
leaders are showing resistance. pro-
ceeding upon the theory that not all
of the votes which elected Mr.. Smith
governor can be counted upon as sup
porting the radical democratic poll
cies.
x X "a
It is a fact that when the demo-
cratic platform went through the
state convention at Syracuse. con-.
tanning radical propositions which
made many of the old-line democrats
gasp, there were sundry winkings of
the eye as if to express the sugges-
ton, "Oh. these will never be car
ried out; they are just a good enough
Morgan for vote-getting purposes.
1t was realized at the time that their
adoption was prerequisite to hold
ing a certain element of radical sup
port to the democratic ticket.
X x *
But Gov Smith surprised the poll
ticians Immediately upon taking
Office. In his message to the legisla-
ture last week he said: This future
security of democratic government
rests upon the obligation of parties
first to ascertain the public will and
after that to make it effective. The
recent election cannot leave doubt
in any ones mind that a demand
was made by the great majority of
the people of the state to enact
program of which they had full and
debated for many weeks in all parts
sof the state"
So it would seem that. whether the
governor himself approves all of the
radical doctrines or not he takes the
position that the voters do and that
It is his duty and the party's to carry
out the pledges made in the plat
form and do the things which the
people have shown by their votes they
wish done.
r. ~ II
National politicians at Washington
will follow with interest the fate of
the bill to abolish the nomination of
state officers by state conventions
and return to the direct primary sys-
tenn. The democrats in both houses
of the legislature will be for it. but,
as the republicans control one branch
Nv a narrow margin, its passage can
only be effected by the affirmative
vote of progressive republicans
There is sharp division of senti-
ment among republicans on this sub
iect in the nation at large. and it is
to he expected that the same will be
reflected among New York republi-
can legislators. II New York re-
turns to the primary plan. impetus
will be given the movement for ma
tion-wide primaries.
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