Evening star., 1923-01-17
Politics at Large
by N. o. MESSENGER.

sPOlltlCal naymakerS loreScS pio
longed season of activity in the in
terregnum between the close of this
Congress, March 4, and the beginning
OF the new Congress nine months
thereafter-the recess expected by
reason of the intimation from the
White House that no extraordinary
session of the next Congress is prob
able. It will be open season for the
progressives. who are to be busy dur
ing the remaining weeks of the win
ter and the summer months promul-
eating their doctrines, and especially
, putting in hard licks in the states to
securing state laws for the choosing
of delegates to national conventions
by selection by primaries.
1t is not likely that the expiring
Congress will have enacted any i'm
portant legislation beyond some form
of relief for farmers that could be
classed as coming within the progress
sive program, so when the new Con-
gress comes in. next December, the
progressives will be on hand with
still further elaborated program ana
the republican party, then in power
in the national halls of legislation.
though with greatly diminished con-
troll, will have to act with dlspatcn
present to the voters in the campaign
| Of next year.
X 4 X 4
In the month Immediately follow
| ing the converting of the Sixty-eighth
Congress the selection of delegates to
the national conventions of 1924 will
| begin. 1t is pointed out that lack
ing conspicuous record for progress
sive legislation, the administration
and the conservative wing of the re-
publican party will be put on the
defensive by the republican progress
sives and the potential insurgents.
who will demand the selection of
pronouncedly progressive delegates
| to the republican national conven-
tiorf with the end in view of obtain
| ing complete control OF the party, it's
organization and it's platform of fu-
ture legislation.
The democrats have already an
nounced that they will go before the
country with the charge that the re-
publican party. through it's factions,
| is not to be intrusted with progress
sive legislation and that the demo-
cratic party furnishes the only hope
of giving the kind the country is as
serted TO want. The prospect is for
a big uprising in both parties for pro-
gressivsm in Congress, concurrent
| ly with the heat and passion incident
to the approach of presidential
campaign.
Senator Mclean OF Connecticut,
chairman of the banking and cur
rency committee. in discussing the
day before yesterday the two most
current topics-farmers' credits and
| politics-said: THE leaders of both
! parties have always promised the i'm
possible. The ins fail to bring mil
lennial conditions and the outs are
given a chance. without much re-
| gard to the merit or achievement of
things possible. the pendulum swings
| from one party to the other until the
disappointed citizen sees in insurgency
! the only hope of electing men to Of
! fee who can make money out of
moonbeams and philanthropists out
of profiteers.
"The ardent earnest and yirtuous
progressive gets along first rate until
he is elected in numbers sufficient to
get control of the government, when
! he, in turn, must cross the dead line
and be covered by his own avalanche
or, he must join the ranks of the
i nard- boiled reactionary enemies of
| the people. Mass prejudice
and class cupidity if they continue to
strive to get even with each other by
sitting ignorance through a ballot
| box can bring but one result. and /
do not care whether the leadership is
hard or soft boiled"
y X X X
Both parties and all factions in
Congress are intent upon trying to
get hold on the farmer vote for
| the next campaign as a secondary re-
| suit OF a genuine desire which is the
| primary motive, of trying to do some
| thing constructive for him in his ad-
! mittedly distressing condition. 1t
would not be the truth to say that the
factions or parties are merely play
! ing politics with the farmer. The
vast majority in the present Congress
) is sincerely in earnest in efforts to
/ help him. Expectation OF political
| and party gratitude as result is but
| natural and pardonable.
1t begins to look as IL the farmer
will get a modicum of enlarged credit
and, what is regarded as more prac-
! teal relief, a plan for marketing CO.
| operation under government supervi-
sion. There appears to be growing
! indisposition to give him very much
| more credit. This spirit was exempli-
/ fed in remark by Senator Mclean,
| to another billion dollar dance, at the
close of which he will be called upon
| to pay the musicians"
X x X x
! 1t appears probable that neither of
| the two major parties can expect to
derive exclusive credit for legislation
for the farmer, beyond the considera-
ton of how far the republicans will
be able to "get away with the claim
that whatever is done was by a re"
| publican Congress. The record will
show the votes of individuals, who
will make their own peace with their
| constituents. The democratic party,
being in the minority. is expected TO
claim that the majority did not go
| Gratis can claim a share in the legisla-
! ton and assure their constituents
| that if they could have had their way
| it would have been much better.
| X y X
| The movement on Congress to se-
cure modification of the Volstead act
| is under way, under the auspices of
I the democratic party in the New York
| Legislature. The democratic leaders
of the upper and lower chambers yes
| terday started work on the resolu-
ton to be addressed to Congress. in
the name of the state of New York,
urging enactment of legislation de-
signed to permit light wines and
beer.
The press report of the launching
of the movement describes the repub-
| licanS as sitting silent and dour dur
| ing the proceedings. The question
will probably be open to debate
whether their attitude was depreca-
tory or enVious?