Evening star., 1925-06-19
LAW BARS NAMING
OF A SUCCESSOR
TO LA TOILETTE
Wisconsin Governor Lacks
Power to Fill Place of
Dead Senator.
By G. GOULD LINCOLN.

The political effect of the death of
Senator Robert M. La Toilette of
Wisconsin may be far reaching. 1t
has three angles.
First. the passing of the Wisconsin
Senator takes from the progressive
movement for a new national political
party its real leader, the man for
whom 100000 votes were cast in the
presidential election last year.
Second. it removes from the Senate
the titular leader of the so-called pro-
gressive bloc at a time when impor-
tant issues involving the foreign re-
lationS of the country and domestic
questions are to come up for con-
sideration. including the World Court
and the Mellon tax plan.
Third, the death of Senator La Fol
ette changes in the twinkling of an
eye the situation in Wisconsin, where
for a quarter of a century and more
La Toilette was the dominant figure,
and where the battle lines are already
forming for the election of a United
States Senator and governor next
year.
New Party At a Loss.
Progressives in Washington today,
followers of the La Toilette ticket in
the campaign last year, were some
what at loss to predict just
what will be the effect on the move
ment for a new liberal party. A
committee, headed by William H
Johnston. president of the Inter
national Machinists. has been work
ing on arrangements for State and
national conventions of such a party
organization to be held some time
next Fall. 1t was tacitly understood
that Senator La Toilette was back of
this movement; that he had severed
his relations with the Republican
party and would throw his entire in
fluence toward the strengthening OF
the new Liberal party. Always in the
background, he was the focusing
point for the Progressives.
The memory of Abraham Lincoln
has been a tower of strength to the
Republican party, and the memory of
La Toilette may prove to be the
strength of the Progressive move
ment, one of his ardent supporters
pointed out today. But this move
ment received severe blow in the
last elections, when the conservative
element in the country rallied to the
Republican ticket. Even had La Fol
lette continued to live, the party
could scarcely have been expected to
gain much ground at present Un-
doubtedly the ProgreSsiveS Will cast
about for a new leader and the future
of the movement is ION the knees OF
the Eods"-almost anything may
happen.
Held Balance i'm Senate.
In the Senate-which does not con-
yene until next December-the loss of
La Toilette will be Immediately felt.
Although he was absent from that
body almost all of the last session, he
was always a potential force. He was
leader of the small group which dur
ing the last Congress held the bal
ance of power between the admins
tration Republicans and the Demo
Gratis The margin of control of the
Republicans in the Senate in the new
Congress is numerically greater than
in the SiXty-eighth Congress, but 1t Is
still too narrow for comfort, as indi-
Gated during the special session of the
Senate last March, when the nomina-
ton of Charles B. Warren OF Michi-
gan to be Attorney General was turn
ed down, although sent repeatedly to
the Senate by President Coolidge. The
Republicans are credited with SIS Sena-
tors-including La Follette-the Demo
Gratis with 40 and the FarmerLabOr-
ties with / in the new Senate.
One of the first important matters
which are slated to come before the
Senate is the protocol proposing ad-
hesion of the United States to the
World Court. Senator La Toilette,
one of the "irreconcilables" during the
Senate fight on the Versailles peace
treaty and the League of Nations. was
rated a strong opponent of the World
Court proposal. He was expected to
oppose, too, the administration ex
pected drive for a marked reduction
in the surtaxes on big incomes. In
the campaign of Vice President Dawes
for amendment of the Senate rules to
Continued on Page Is. Column 81