Evening star., 1923-05-13
Break Up Of Party Solidarity
Held to Make for Inefficiency

President to stand for it's views and
to demand that they be crystallized
into legislation? What has become
of other ideas of the fathers? What
general principle applies to all the
people everywhere regardless of the
effect upon states or localities" Issues
there are In abundance, creating
sharp conflicts of opinions with ref
erence to this, that or the other thing.
But they are not principles They
are not even party issues-simply
controversies as to whether the gov
ernment should help this group. that
group. the other group; this place,
that place, the other place; this idea,
that idea, some other idea. These
things do not depend on great prin-
ciples of government. They are local
issues.
The result of this situation is that
each party ship is being buffeted by
numerous cross-currents of thought
and purpose. The crews are in des-
perate straits to find pilots who can
steer a straight course. avoid col1i-
sions and prevent mutinies. The re-
publican party managed to agree In
1920, not upon any mutual principle.
but upon common hatred. Yet the
campaign was hardly won when issues
which previously had divided the party
began to bob up. Where election day
there were unity and strength ever
since have been discord and weakness.
shall not dilate on conflicting ideas
in my own party. ] we'll may leave
that task to its enemies. but ] am not
SO cowardly as to deny that they exist.
Americas variety of pickles are only
cqualcd in number by the varieties
of democrats in America. But | had
no desire to discuss the relative
strength of parties. or to comment on
their Weaknesses other than to oh
serve that parties i'm America are in
q bad way and will grow worse until
they gain the courage to adopt "A
yardstick that will be the same in
California and every other state that
1t is in Indiana.
Y i x x
Great principles which transcend
mere expediency still exist, principles
which are strong enough to submerge
the petty issues now floating upon
the current Of American life. prin-
ciples touching which men equally
honest and sincere are so far separat-
ed In conviction that they would he
willing to sacrifice for them in the
hour of peace. even as they sacrificed
III war On one hand are believers in
the old system of government, men
who do not deny the existence of
wrongs and injustices and who agree
that all wrong and injustice should be
eliminated, but who insist that these
can be eliminated without destroying
the fabric of the republic. They hold
that legislation should he for the
American as an American, not for the
butcher. the baker or the caudlesticlS
maker. They rejoice that our dcmoc-
racy has been kept clean OF classes,
although it is marred by class legis-
Iation. Opposed are those who would
alter our government and convert 1t
into pure democracy. This inevi-
tably. would create classes and per-
mancntly fix class legislation as one
of our basic principles.
Here are conflicting ideas of govern
ment that well may be regarded as
real principles. What is more i'm
portant to the unborn yet to be than
the settlement of this conflict over
systems of government? II is such
questions as this that unite A party
and stabilize leadership. Personal or
local interests have no place in a ma
tional campaign.
Copyright. 1923, by 2ist Century press)