The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-06-18
THE THIRD.PARTY PURPOSE

into the declaration of principles. There | is no essential relation between progress sivism and communism. The superficial relation is based on their common in- ability to ally themselves with either regular party. A third party formed of progressives, communists and farmer laborites would eventually discover its greatest foes within and not without the party ranks. To be sure, there is some relationship between the communistic idea and the LaFollette demand for gov ernment ownership of railroads, but La Toilette is not willing to expand his views to make the application of the public ownership plan general to include all productive industry. The Wisconsin senator has emphatically declared that he can have no traffic with communists and advocates of the soviet idea.
 The farmers, too, realize that their possession of land is barrier between them and the communists. What the farmers ask is not to be subordinated to a political group, but to be emancipated from the economic shackles which now hold them. The farmer perceives that his real way out of his difficulties is some program whereby he may be as- sured of a market price for his crops which will pay a profit on the cost of production. Therefore, he fears com munism, which would destroy his inde- pendence without adding to his comfort of living. In this country the principle of private ownership and control of prop erty is ingrained in the majority of peo- pie. Their good sense tells them that the ownership of property is the only substantial reward for intelligent appli- cation and administration of private af- fairs. In the communists plan the sloth and the non-worker profit, but the in- dustrious and enlightened citizen loses.
 Perhaps, however, the formation of such discontented political groups now and then is of salutary result. When ex- treme theorists are permitted to put their theories into practice, the theories are apt to explode in their inventors hands. That clears up the situation and effectually demonstrates the fallacy of the inventions. Therefore, the people of the country may look upon the third party experiment with a greatS deal of complacency, for the world in general moves forward, and progress is away from and not towards such governmental oddities as are from time to time urged upon a people that is in general content with the existing order of things. Com munism has been given the freest pos sible sort of demonstration in Russia, and the very theories that the extreme cate for this country have been proved impracticable in the country that was most sincerely, completely and seriously committed to their operation. The tolerable only as it relinquishes its pe- culiar doctrines and swings steadily back to time-honored policies and the prjnci- pie of private ownership of property. AC oONlSI AeduSES CHGU1S6lVeS du0llC that their theories will not work in human affairs. Such being the only affairs in which political parties are interested, it is obvious that the communistic wing of the third party will not add to it's strength or permanence.
 It is evident that the most able spokes- men for the third party are keenly alive to the danger of formal inclusion of any communistic plank in their platform. As one astute lawyer before the delegation expressed it, the farmers will not come to meetings where communism is the theme. If they will not come to the meetings, it is very unlikely that they will cast their votes where they will not lend their presence. And even third party leaders understand the very prac- tical axiom that a party without votes cannot hope for success. Indeed, it is more than likely that the whole third party movement as far as LaFollette is concerned is a protest against the reg ular Republican party for rejection of his ideas, rather than a serious effort to found new dynasty. The primary ob- ject is to punish the Republican party not to create new party.
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