The Washington times., 1924-11-14

Rochelle, are lower than they have
been for many years. The Urania
Lumber Company Is pumping water
two miles to keep the mill In OPP
GRAFTON.
bound by precedent than the lawyers.
stepped more deeply in tradition
than the soldiers and sunk farther
in the nire of Grass stupidity than
the diplomats. Perhaps, though,
even into the heads of politicians
something new. may be beaten IL
a big enough. stick be used. And
what a beating the Progressives
took last week only those who
know the real measure Of their
expectations, not their published
claims, fully comprehend.
Are the Progressives, then, by
some new method, to harrass the
Administration, making for It a
very real embarrassment of its new
found potential Republican strength
in the Congress-? Let one speak
whose voice will be heard and not
alone, in the big December and
January meetings which largely win
determine the immediate future
form, policy and methods Of the
Progressive organization. He con-
denses President Coolidge's pro.
nouncement Of basic Republican
policy thus:
Coolidge Policy Defined.
Give business all, in reason. 1t
demands, depending on business to
distribute satisfactorily to the
masses a fair and equable share
Of the benefits business receives =
This is simply a glorified inver.
sion of the Democratic cost-plus
system so thoroughly discredlted
during the world war. 1t g not
new in Republican theory or pracs
tice, but President Coolidge deserves
c'tdit for so boldly and clearly de-
g Aing the issue that none could have
gone to the polls November 4, under
any misapprehension as to Repub-
liean purpose. Some voters, 1t ID
true, may have been influenced by
cajolery and some. as, charged,
cowed by fraudulentlyl melted fear
OF imminent economic distress; but.
with all allowances, it seems that
a sufficient majority clearly indicat-
ed their will that the Coolidge faith
be given q fair and generous trial.
ProgresSives, then, sure footed
in another faith, should welcome
the opportunity now offered to
demonstrate the error. in this Re-
publican doctrine by permitting
them to practice 1t freely and in
the open. To put the proposition
squarely and In pioneer American
erA no ola
scented Mr.. Coolidge with a rope
Progressives should let him hal.
his party. in it.
Plenty to DO.
'Progressives need not be idle.
Indeed they should be buster than
ever in real constructive effort.
Upon each measure as It comes up
they should make such vigorous
fight as may be necessary to ge.
their principles and purpos,
squarely before the people. But
there should be no obstruction.
list tactics except on such bills as
directly threaten further spoliation
OF the Nations natural resources or
the stability OF the Progressive or.
ganization and its components. The
deadly filibuster should be employ
ed only in the unlikely case that
some measure is pressed that threat.
ems the very life of the Third party,
or its major units.
"The sureSt, shortest road to fu.
ture progressive triumph, with the
people In their present skeptlcal
frame Of mind, is to compel Mr..
Coolidge, by the sheer weight Of
his Republican majority in Con-
gress, to prove or disprove the
merits of his doctrine in free and
unhampered practice.
The situation is not without a
precedent. Under compulsion Of
world war necessities, leaders of all
parties lined up solidly behind
Woodrow Wilson. sidetracked their
most cherished convictions and gave
Democratic methods and policies a
thorough tryout. The political de-
bacle Of 1920 is now a part of his
tory. The opportunity forced upon
the Democrats by wartime ex.
igencies should be extended yolun.
tarily to the Republicans now. IL
their principles and methods are
wrong, as progressives believe, The
rebuke of the voters will be prompt
and certain"
Likely to Fail.
All of which will sound ridiculous
to the generality Of practical poll
ticians, of whom there are enough
in the Progressive rank and file
to smother discussion Of such a
proposal and sink 1t without trace.
Wherefore this writing is no
prophecy Of probable Progressive
policy Perhaps 1t is a prayer.
Certainly 1t is fact that com.
petent reporter must chronicle
when in any considerable American
political group responsible mon are
to be found bent ON the advocacy
Of method so new that even in
non-political fields the commonly
accepted record of it's effective APP
plication goes back only so far as
the story OF Noah and the flood
set down in its fuliness in the
Good Book.
fCopyriwht. 1924. nv Ths waahinesou