The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-05-29
LAFOLLETTE'S DILEMMA

Senator LaFolettes statement to his attitude
party made yesterday emphasizes the dilemma which
the Wisconsin Senator and many others in political life OF
progressive views must face While many of Senator La
Folettcs proposals in the past have revolutionary
nature and he has hesated forward radical IDEAS he
has always chung to the American principle of rule by the
ballot and has urged his ideas in legitimate and constitu
tonal He has, ALSO usually refralned from enter
ing into bitter personal attacks and result has retained
considerable degree of personal popularity with members
OF Congress who disagree violently with his views.
But the movement which LaFolette seeks to forward
he finds leads to further proposals. What to him
10 be perhaps extreme proposal but right becomes
moderate the view of many of his followers after time
Now he finds that the Communists, bent the kind
trying to climb his band wagon, not for the purpose
of rtherng his interests views but for the of
the Communist movement
When Senator LaFOette finds himself up against such
situation is any wonder that honest patriotic and able
citizens hesitate to accept theories and brands of
IRENE democracy offered palliative for the countrys
ills? May not most sporadic movements be properly sub
eced to suspicion in view of the disclosures made by the
Wisconsin Senator and similar dsclosures?,
BY furhering extremist views Senator LaFollette has
invited less able less honest and less farghted than
himself pervert his power and popularity their
ends Every movement for greater power for increased
functions of the government opens the to attacks
fundamental principles of the nation
The Wisconsin Senator in considering third party
movement must choose either the support of all the forces
of dscontent the Communists with the honest progres-
sycs Or he must occupy middle ground which is unten-
able The political arena.
to election of President however high-mnded he
be- Goes not insure the honest government There have
been cries of fraud and corruption raised of the
called progressive Wilson Democratic administration than
any other In many years. There nave been authentic cases
of widespread corruption in revolutionary Russia The adj
mnistrations of Harding and Coolidge whom radicals
pleased to call conservatives faced also the difficulty of
tectng the government from dishonest and INSCRIPTIONS
new movement which sweeps into office inexperi-
enced without powerful organization behind them
offers greater opportunities for the INSCRIPTIONS than any
other governmental force fact proved time and again
The elevation of Senator LaFoette through third party
movement embracing such forces he says seek
ing to ride on his coattas would offer just such opportun
tiles
The dilemma which Senator LaFoete faces is argu-
the retention of the alignment of forces pledged
honest and government with traditions and power to
smash corruption and smother corrupt forces Though dis
honesty may appear at times to have the upper hand
true-and the reflex of the recent disclosures Washington
is sufficient evdenceha leaders of the Republican party
have been minded and honest in their service the
government and with the firm and resoue Coolidge to lead
the party in the future there for preerng