Evening star., 1924-07-05
By the Associated Press.

" INC conference lOI pTOST6S-
sive political action was as follows:
Statement by Robert M. La Toilette.
in the most momentous crisis
which has confronted the nation in
our time, You have called upon me
to accept the leadership in a national
political campaign to wrest the
American government from the pred
atory interests which now control it,
and to restore it to the people.
realize this summons comes to
tribute. The American people are
thoroughly awake to the real issue
with which they must deal, and
Iecognize the failure of the two
uoininant parties to meet them. They
IN the campaign are greater than any
!hdlN!dual or any political PARTY. it
~ only In SO far as my public record
Squares with those principles and
ileets those issues that i can be of
any substantial service in the progress
slve movement
Old Parties Failures.
- conceive it to be the first duty
or every political party and of every
ntinSee cificaila - TO b state plainly and spe-
Terms upon which their suffrage is
invited. The Republican and Demo-
cratlc parties have failed in this
Sodisdtloh. The progressives must
deal honestly and openly with the
people.
,,s After long experience in public
~ anu palnstaking consideration Of
.ne present state of public affairs.
!Il convinced that the time has come
LOT militant political movement, in
uependent of the two old party or
carnations and responsive to the
needs and sentiments Of the common
people.
Must Press Forward.
1 should be unwilling to participate
IN any political campaign at this time
Whlch would imperil the steady advance
OF the progressive movement or diminish
ine number of true progressives, NOM
Hlally elected as Republicans and Demo-
SiaIS VINO are now serving the public
IN the House, the Senate and in MANY of
the state governments. The ground al
ready won must not be abandoned. We
must consolidate our present gains and
surrender -
The necessity for an independent
progressive movement lies in the failure
OF the two old parties to purge them
selves or the influences which have
caused their administrations repeatedly
10 petray the American people
The rank and file of the membership
'oi poth parties is progressive. But
through vicious and undemocratic con-
aentlon system, and under the evil in
thrive at Washington, both party or
CARNATIONS have fallen under the dom
ihatlon and control of corrupt wealth.
ueVoting the powers Of government ex-
cluslEeIy TO selfish special interests.
Analysis of Platforms.
An analysis of the platforms adopted
nE the two old parties will show that
the real issues have been ignored, and
that the candidate of either party, if
elected. will go into office with no spe.
cihc pledges whatsoever binding him to
the people. while he will be under the
most immediate necessity and obligation
or serving the party bosses and pred
atory interests to whom he owes his
nomination and upon whom. he must rely
for election.
The Republican convention at
cleveland scornfully rejected the only
progressive platform offered for
adoption and nominated a candidate
who is the frank defender of the
present system of government in the
interest of organized wealth.
The Democratic convention was
forced, out of consideration of polit-
ical expediency. and through the
the party, to take less openly reac-
tionary ground, but the platform
adopted at New York does not meet
the demands of the progressive mil
lions of the nation. The fact that
the resolutions committee at that
convention, controlled by proven re-
dictionaries and trusted agents of
organized wealth, accepted the plat
form declarations on domestic issues
without dissenting vote on any
plank IS sufficient testimony to the
character OF the Democratic platform
as an evasive and dishonest docu-
ment.
But even if both Republican and
Democratic conventions had adopted
thoroughgoing progressive. plat
forms. the American people have
learned that neither party can be
trusted to keep it's promises. Both
parties within the last quarter of
century have regarded their plat
forms, as they regard them today,
not as contract with the people
and a program of action. but as de-
vices to catch votes and to gain
political offices, with all its oppor-
tunities for personal ACKNOWLEDGMENT
and private profit for those who are
willing to betray public trust.
Issue Of Campaign.
ITO break the combined power of
the private monopoly system over
the political and economic life of the
American people is the one para
mount issue OF the 1924 campaign.
IF the progressives will but unite
with single purpose to meet this
issue fearlessly and squarely they
may rely with entire confidence upon
the support of the plain people, who
are the victims of the present sys-
tenn and who have the right and the
power, through the ballot, to control
their own government.
The people have already given
Eruof by their election of progress
sives to the Congress and to state
Offices that they recognize the real
issue that confronts them and under
stand its magnitude.
They know that their government
1T Washington is now. and has been
for a quarter of century, in the
hands of small but powerful groups,
acting together and controlling 1t in
<heir own interests.
Groups Dictate Prices.
each group dictates production
and prices in its own field-in iron,
coal. oil, steel, lumber, sugar, meats,
Clothing-in short, in mining, manu-
featuring. transportation and all i'm
portant business enterprises. Through
grain exchanges, elevator combina-
tjons and packing monopolies the
II arkets are manipulated and prices
lied on all products of the farm.
~Wi:hin the last twenty-five years
It has thus come about that these
powerful groups, through the con-
troll of markets and prices, hove dou-
bled and trebled the cost of sustain
ing human life-of housing, warming.
tlothing and feeding the American
Life Hard Struggle.
.sfhe American people are honest.
Intelligent, patriotic, Industrious and
frugal. And yet in land of untold
wealth, dedicated to the principle of
equal opportunity for all, special priv
,leges to none life has become a des-
rerate struggle for the average man
and woman. The millions who work
on the farms, in the mines, in trans
portation. in the factories and shops
and stores, with all their industry
and saving, find themselves poorer at
the end of the year than at the be-
ginning.
The mighty power which has en-
oh en0rm0lS