Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-11-29
'0USTED' SENATORS.
:. PLAN REPR|SALS.
Four Likely to Seek Union
With Democrats and Dead
..4 lock Congress.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.


the four Republican Senators who
did not support President Coolidge
in the last election.
Although there are many "old
guard leaders who doubted the wis
dom of the step when first proposed,
and who would have preferred to let
well enough alone. now that the ac-
ton has been taken, the men who
attended the conference are a unit
in declaring they will not vote to
admit Senator'S La Toilette of Wis
consin, Ladd and Frazier of North
Dakota and Senator Brookhart of
Iowa, to any future party conferences
or to fill any vacancies that may
occur In committee chairmanships.
Coalition Move Seen.
Here are some Of the effects which
may be expected to flow from the dec
laration of war on the insurgents
1. The ostractzed Senators will
form a group of their own and at
tempt to revive the coalition Of last
session with the Democrats. Such
combination can deadlock govern
ment for the next three months and
compel the calling of an extra session
of Congress.
2. The Republican national party
organization will be called upon to
furnish funds for fights to be made
at primaries in the future by regulars
who wish to oppose men like Frazier
and Ladd. And there are indications
that plenty OF money will be forth
coming from conservative strong
holds like New York and Pennsyl-
vania. where the menace of the radi-
Gals has been widely advertised.
Prosressives Must Decide.
8. The ''Progressive' Republicans,
like Senators Norris OF Nebraska,
|. Borah of Idaho, Johnson OF .Califor-
mia and perhaps Senator Howell of
Nebraska, who do not like the action
of the party conference. will have to
decide whether they Will join La Fol
lette, Frazier, Iadd and Brookhart
or go with the regulars. Senators
Shipstead and Magnus Johnson of
Minnesota have never used the Re-
publican label always chasing them
selves as OF the Farmer-Labor party.
4. Acts OF reprisaI are being con-
/ sidered by the La Toilette Repub
leans, who have the power to upset
ressntatives IL they can get the
Democrats to join them.
The most important question that
has arisen, therefore. Is: What shall
the Democrats do about it?"
Democrat support Doubtful.
Senator Smoot and others, who
have been talking Informally with
Democratic Senators, say the latter
are tired of combining with the La
Toilette group. In the last election
the La Toilette movement split the
Democratic party and ruined what
chance the Democrats did have in at
least eight states where Mr. Coolidge
was plurality choice. Also the La
Toilette campaign diverted attention
from the campaign OF John W. Davis,
and drove thousands of conservative
Democrats into the Republican camp.
Under such circumstances little love
is lost between the Democrats and
the insurgent Republicans.
Expediency as Dictator.
Politics. however, makes strange
bedfellows. And expediency is
stronger influence than logic.
The Democrats need the strength
OF the La Toilette voters to build I'D
their own party. The Republican
party is avowedly conservative. The
Democrats have conservative wing.
too, which will resist any alliance
with the La Toilette group. yet In the
last session of Congress the Demo-
cratic conservatives voted time and
again with the La Toilette Senators
for party reasons. The Same may be
expected to happen again. A minor
tty usually does all II can to en-
barrass a majority.
May Mean New Party.
Out of 1t may emerge a new DEM
ocratic party which slowly places its
conservative constituents in the
minority. Much as the Democratic
conservatives may dislike the rad
icals they may turn from the Re-
NJ ri
enter Democratic contests. The pur-
pose OF the La Toilette group hero
tofors has been to reform the Re-
publican party from within.
The action of the Republican con-
ference of Senators indicates that so
far as the upper house of Congress
is concerned that process is a
failure. Now the radicals can take
up the task OF making the Demo-
cratic party suit their ideas Of gov
eminent. The Republican conserve
tives will not be disturbed by that,
as they have wanted for some time
to see radicals and conservatives
classified in two parties.
south's Stand Uncertain.
VIII the solid South. which has
upon many occasions sent conserva-
tive Democrats to the Senate. who
differ only in name from conserva-
tive Republicans, permit the Demo-
cratic party to become the liberal or
radical party? The last election has
left the leaders of the Democratic
party demoraiized.
The Republican senatorial conference
tosses the La Toilette Republicans into
the arms Of the Democrats and chal-
ienges them to take the radicals unto
their bosom and make the fight between
radicalism and conservatism.
Unless the La Toilette Republicans
fight back in the coming session Of Con-
gress the action of the Republican con-
ference has no immediate effect on com.
mittee chairrnanships, because the or
ganization OF Congress remains the
same. and there will be no rearrange-
ment Of committees till the new Con-
gress meets In December, 1925, or in ex-
ira session after March 4. But the ac-
ton is not a gesture. It's the beginning
OF q real political battle which may re-
shape the two major parties or mean
the beginning OF a permanent organiza-
ton OF tho independents inside and out
side Of Congress.
Copyright, 1sz4)