The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-02-02
RIFT IN THE GRAND OLD LUfE


 The radical element in congress is jockey ing for position already in the 1924 presi- dential campaign. And that these radicals are to have an entrant in the race is already predicted. Either that or they will demand certain concessions in the platforms of the old parties-especially in the republican platform, since they are mostly republicans. All of which is pie for the Democrats-plu- perfect pie. It is even mama raining right down from the political skies. For il, means a wide split in republication and a practi- cally untouched democracy-ony greatly strengthened by reason of the division on the other side.
 Senator BrookhartJ of Iowa is the most radical of this radical group which so warmly embraces LaFollette and all those of his school as well as many others of the so-called progressives, and they form the most mean ingful menace that has ever arisen within it's ranks to startle into anything like wake fulness those nodding statesmen of the old guard-those hearers of the best but some what benumbed minds. The old guards lot has been hard enough. Events have more than damaged it's dignity. Each day it had become wetter and wetter from the rising of the troubled waters until it was already almost starchless. But now comes this pi- ratical crew, not only to rob them of their political shirts, but to take the ship away from them-to take away, in fact, all but their best minds. And how can they make friends with those roaring radicals who fly in the face of all the conservatism they have :. IL which the radicals are now talking, is enough to make even speaking terms between them impossible. And in ruth it is difficult at this stage to make out just what is the mean ing of the speech which the radicals are holding with themselves. Senator Brook hart, for example, is preparing bill deal~ ing with the railroads. He will urge the repeal of the present transportation act, the fixing of rates on valuation of about half the existing basis, placing greater power Sin the hands of the Interstate Commerce Commission and at the same time restoring to the states full control over freight rates
 This last seems at first blush to suggest setting the stage for an impending collision between an irresistible force and i'm movable body. Senator Brookhart also an- nounces that he is going after the people who sell iron and steel to the railroads and stop the graft" and furthermore that he is going to wipe out railroad stocks to- gether with railroad stockholders, in order, presumably, to shake loose Wall Streets strangle hold. Something suggestive of little action the senator is planning! But while his intended processes have not been clarified, the idea might occur to those not speaking the language of Lenin that in this matter of wiping out the stockholders of railroads there are a great many people several hundred thousand of them at least, men and women-many of them just plain working men and women-who hold stock in the railroads and who might be wiped out along with the railroads and the rest. After smashing the railroads it is no doubt in Senator Brookhart's contemplation for the government to take over the wreckage and operate it.
 All this leads far from the more immedi- ate prospect which is so gladdening to Dem- ocrats But it serves to reveal the width of the chasm that has opened in the Republican party. And it means that a considerable section of the Republicans of the west, for that is the radical stronghold, would sup port the radicals, and that solid Democracy should have victory well-nigh assured.