The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1924-07-28

N
IWI ever the final vote for the
I'd La Follette-W Wheeler ticket
may be, it's very existence Is already
having a significant Unfit ence on
presidential politics.
One effect is the marked dtsposi-
ton of supporters of Candidate Dav-
is to convince voters that Davis Is
really and truly progressive. There
are other indications that Davis
himself win do all he can in his
campaign speeches to further this
strategic move.
Unless Republican strategy is
stand pat as a conservative and de-
pend upon Big Business an High
Finance to pull him. through. This
strategy is based on the theory, or
the hopes, that the appeal of Davis
to progressive Democrats, if it is
at all successful, will drive conserva-
tive Democrats to Coolidge. and that
Davis and La Follettee will divide
the progressive vote.
1t Is Old Stuff
All of this old-party strategy, how
ever, is old stuff and is based on
guess work. In 1912 Wilson and
Roosevelt were classed as progress
sives, while Taft was conservative,
or reactionary; and Taft carried only
Utah and Vermont.
Had the Democrats in that year
nominated a conservative of the
Davis type, instead of the progress
sive Wilson, it IS within reason to
believe that Roosevelt would have
swept the country with his Bull
Moose platform.
What will happen this year, no.
body knows. For nobody knows how
big the Independent vote for La Fol
lette and Wheeler will be.
While for many years we have
heard OF the labor vote" there
never was any such thing in Ameri-
can politics. Nobody ever was able
to swing the vote Of union workmen,
let alone the larger number of I'M
organized workers, solidly behind
any candidate. Politicians came to
understand this. and ceased to fear
the labor vote" That may explain
the scant attention organized labo-
got in both the old-party conventions.
What About Labor
Year after year members Of or
ganized labor remained Democrats.
Republicans or Socialists, when cleo
ton time came around. They had
the votes, Of course, because there
are many more workers than bosses;
but they neutralized their voting
strength by fighting one another DO.
litically as Republicans, Democrats
and Socialists.
Organized capital didn't have to
bother licking organized labor DO.
hucally. Labor licked itself. II
may do so again. Nobody knows.
Then there have always been
tricks by which shrewd political
agents Of special privilege could di.
vide the ranks Of labor. To Illus
trate; A high official of an Industrial
plant, employing about ten thousand
men, subscribed for 5000 copies of
The Menace" organ of the Guard.
ians of Liberty, IN 1913 or 1914 and
had them mailed to employees Of the
plant.
When he admitted this and was
asked If he We're prejudiced against
Catholics, he replied:
Lori, no. but II we can keep our
men fighting among themselves over
religion they can't get together in
labor unions"
What Was Influence?
1t would be interesting to know
just what powerful influence so Gun.
ningly injected into the Democratic
convention IN New York the two
issues that created such bitterness.
1t Is possible that interests deeplv
interested in the election Of Coolidge
and Dawes had their agents at work
In that conventions The wet-dry and
Khan issues didn't plunge into, that
convention on their own hook,
1t is also possible that other tricks
VIII be played during the campaign
to divide the ranks of labor and to
drive the western farmers back into
the Republican fold And the
shrewdest and most resourcefuI DO
litical triCksters are always found
on the side politically which has
the biggest barrel
1t may be part Of the big game to
have Davis make a big drive TO hold
progressive Democrats away from
the La Toilette ticket and at the
finish throw the full strength Of
conservatism, in both old parties,
back of Coolidge. In which event
Davis will be thrown aside like a
squeezed lemon, as Parker was in
1904.
In any event there won't be any
political sentiment in business this
year. The last thing organized cap
ltal wants in this country is a pow
erful Labor party; and its strength
will go back Of Coolidge or Davis
Whichever seems to be the one best
bet to down the La Toilette move.
ment.