The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-10-31
lAF(NLETTE
EYES ON
1923
Did Parties Expected to Unite
n Congress, Aide Says,
for Conservatism
BY WILLIAM HARD.

The La Follettites throughout
Che country, in various scattered
but numerous Congressional dis
tricts, are making q valiant and
vigorous effort to increase their
power in the lower house Of Con-
gress.
They realize two things which
many Of their opponents do not
realize.
In the first place they realize
chat the La Toilette movement
cannot this year much increase
its power in the Senate.
In the second place they realize
that If the Presidential election
goes into the House Of Represen-
tatives, the conservatives Of both
old parties in the House are ex-
tremely likely to unite in order to
put either Coolidge or Davis into
the White House. The La For
lettites know much better than
many Of their opponents seem to
know it that the White House
after March 4 is almost certain
to be occupied by somebody chosen
BY the conservatives.
Already Look TO '28
Thus, not counting much on the
White House. except through some
miracle for La Toilette on Novem.
Der 4. and not really counting at
all on any great gain in the Sen.
ate, the La Follettites are giving
much time to two other endeavors.
One is to lay the foundation for
the formal and complete and per.
Hected organizing Of their new party
next year-and during the years
Immediately afterwards-in prepare
ton for the election Of 1898.
The other is to elect a consider
able number of new progressive
and radical members to the
Lower House OF Congress on
November A, of this year.
This latter endeavor Of theirs "a
the subject of this article.
The managing Of this endeavor
heads up into the Chicago office
of L. e. Sheppard, whose customary
occupation outside Of politics il
that Of presiding over the Order
OF Railroad Conductors, which ID
one OF the four big railroad brother
hoods.
Mr.. Sheppard was much IN
politics in his youth in New. Jersey
lin old-party politics-and he IL
now in politics again from the
labor trade-unon standpoint.
He obligihgly analysed for thil
writer the whole list Of recon
nnendations made by the La Fol
lettite national organization in
furtherance Of the ambitions OF
new candidates for Congress.
This article will not deal with
the La Follettite national endorse
ments Of sitting members Of Con
gress. The sitting members In
this Congress will continue In the
next Congress to be what they are
new. This article will deal onIJ
with the possibilities Of change.
Has Endorsed Eighty.five Men.
It appears then that the La
OLlCLIOl0 tldI1O1ldl OIBGAt2dStOu 1Aog
endorsed eighty-five new men fol
eighty-five Congressional Districts
An analysis of this list at once
reveals two striking features of 1t
The first is that the number. o,
endorsements given to ''laborites'
and "'farmer.laborites" and social
lists" and other independents" and
p'new party" men 10 very small.
Such men number only twenty
among the eighty-five new meT
endorsed. @
The remaining sixty-five are al
Of them either Republicans OF
Democrats and have all Of then
secured either Republican or Demo
cratic regular nominations in theil
districts.
It is clear, therefore, that Mr.
Sheppard and his colleagues are mo-
at present much engaged in trying
to put new party" men into thu
House Of Representatives; and 1t il
clear that there is no possibility o,
my great swarm Of new party
men under the Capitol Dome mex
year.
This is especially so since many
of the new party men indorseC
by the La Follettite organization
happen to be in districts which 4
win be extremely difficult for then
60 carry.
The second striking feature II
Mr.. Sheppard's list Of indorseC
candidates is as follows:
His Strength Republican.
Among the sixty-flve new Re
rublicans and Democrats who have
been given national La Fonettttt
approval and who are getting ma
tional La Follettite support in thetl
efforts to break into the Fedora
House of Representatives there arr
only three Republicans and there
are sixty-two Democrats.
This fact indicates severa
things.
1t indicates, for instance, that W.
certainly are not going TO have
many more La, Follettite Repub
ncans in the next Congress.
The backbone Of absolutely re
liable La Follettite strength in thu