Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-08-20
Brass Tacks.

Expectations, raised by the nomina-
tion of Gen. Charles G.. Dawes for
Vice President by the Republican
party, that he would furnish pyro-
technics for the campaign, are real
lied in his speech of acceptance. He
strikes a note of vigorous denuncia-
ton of the radicaiism which is now
organizing in the form of a third
party. He makes La Follettism one
of the main issues of the fight now
being Waged between the parties. He
holds aloft the two flags, the Stars
and Stripes and the red emblem of
anti-constitutionalis and asks the
country under which it will go
forward.
Naturally Democratic spokesman
will resent the words of Gen. Dawes
in thus RELOCATING their party to a
subordinate position in the campaign.
La Toilette spokesman will also
resent his speech as Characterizing
the entire third party movement as
one of extreme radicalism. Doubtless
Gen. Dawes will be pleased at both
reactions. He evidently intended
thus to establish his own party in the
role of the countrys chief defender
against the red danger.
This is a campaign of brass tacks,
not bombast," says Gen. Dawes in his
opening words. Everybody knows
what brass lacks" means. Every
body knows that Charles c.. Dawes
is an adept in brass lacks" demon
strations. He never leaves any doubt
regarding his meaning. In this
speech he talks true to form. He
Calls the third party movement by
the right name.
In thus specifically naming the
third party as the real enemy Gen.
Dawes rebukes the Democratic party
for not having chosen or dared to
denounce the movement. 1t had its
opportunity. The second Cleveland
convention which named La Toilette
was a fact of history when the
Democratic party assembled in New
York. Yet the Madison Square plat
form was silent on the subject of
radicalism.
Complaint is already voiced regard
ing the Dawes speech that it tends
to divide the country into two
warning camps" engendering 1.-The
most embittered sectionalism it has
known for generation" Expediency
would dictate silence on the subject.
Gen. Dawes is not eXpedient. He is
explicit. He sees the danger and
denounces the source of it. If there
exist conditions and if there is in
progress a movement to condemn
which is to precipitate 'embittered
sectionalism,' then it is well that
some one has the nerve to utter that
condemnation.
y political campaign of expediency
Is comfortable, no doubt, but it gets
nowhere. In 1896 expediency would
have dictated that the Republican
party ignore the silver issue and go
to the country with a united front
and a divided heart, to leave the
question of false finance undeter-
mined. Courage replaced eXpediency,
and the issue was drawn and settled,
to the infinite good of the American
people.
Now the issue is as to radicalism.
Expediency would perhaps dictate
"pussyfooting' around the question
50 as not to offend some of the far
mers and the workingmen who are
inclined to follow the marsh light of
La F'ollettism. Dawes will have none
of this. He asks the people to align
themselves on this question. Some
votes may be lost here and there.
Many will be gained everywhere.
Only on election day will it be shown
how many have been lost and how
many have been won by this policy of
plain speaking on the paramount
question.