Evening star., 1925-03-11
Politics at Large
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

War between the progressive and
conservative wings of the Republi-
can party is on again. On Monday
the conservatives fell upon the pro-
gressives and trounced them, throw
ing into the discard the four So
called insurgents, La Toilette and
his followers during the last cam
paign, and at the same time offend
ing Senators Eorah of Idaho. John
son of California, Norris OF Nebraska
and others. La Toilette and Ladd
lost their committee chairmanships,
and Brookhart and Frazier were de-
NOTED also. All of which happened
with the approval of President
Coolidge, 1t is said at the White
House
On Tuesday, the progressives. lin
ing up with the Democrats. slapped
the newly inaugurated President
squarely. defeating the nomination
of Charles B. Warren of Michigan
to be Attorney General. Seldom
has an opportunity been granted
either of the belligerent groups of
Republicans to strike back so
quickly.
1t Is no secret that many of the
Democrats would have been pleased
to have had Warren made Attorney
ment would have been a point of at
tack. a joint in the Republican
armor. But they could not, they say,
go on record as voting for him. Per-
maps Mr.. Coolidge's proverbial luck
IL still with him, therefore, in spite
OF the apparent setback through Mr.
Warren's defeat.
1t seemed, however, that luck had
deserted the administration late yes
terday. With the vote standing 40 to
40 on the Warren nomination., Vice
President Dawes was absent and
could not Vote to break the tie. The
only time Vice President ever votes
In the Senate Is In case the Senate
evenly divides, as 1t did yesterday.
Furthermore, two stanch administra-
tion Senator's were on the high seas
Edge Of New Jersey and Phipps of
Colorado. They were paired" of
course. but even SO had either of
them been present the Presidents
choice for Attorney General might
now have been on his way from De-
troit to take the oath of Office. War
rem Of Wyoming and Lenroot of Wis
consin also were away from the city
the former on trip to Panama and
the latter because of the Illness of
his wife Truly, yesterday was not
the administrators lucky day
President Coolidge, it was reported
at the Capitol. was incensed because
or the absenteeism of Republican
Senators when party matters and his
Attorney General were at stake He
had reason to be. But members of
the Senate are anxious to get away
from WaShington-so much so that
1t is common talk at the Capitol that
quorum will be lacking before the
close OF next week unless the Senate
ad5ourns in the meantime
An examination of the record votes
taken in the Senate Monday on the
question of demoting Senator I,add
from the chairmanship of the, public
lands committee. and yesterday on
the warren nomination. shows almost
the Identical progressive group yot-
ing against the demotion of Ladd
and against the confirmation of the
warren nomination. With a total of
nine Senator'S in this group 1t would
seem something more than a coinci
dence. The warning issued by SEN
ator Borah to the regular organiza-
ton that its chastisement of the
proeressives would lead to trouble
apnarentlv has come home more
quickly than was expected
The country believed that at the
polls last November it had put Calvin
Coolidge in the White House and at
the same time 1t had elected a Re-
publican Congress The word went
forth that the wings Of the trouble maxi
ers In the Sivtv-eiehth Congress had
been clipped; that the Republicans had
working majority in both Senate and
House Has the Republican majority
put its foot in 1t the first time it
acted? 1t begins to look as though
the insureent group had merely been
enlarged by the tactics of the reg
ulars. II so. the outlook for leeis-
lation advanced hv the administration
at the next regular session does not
seem particularly bright
The reaction of the country to
these latest developments here in.
Washington will he interesting. How
the voters in the States of the North
west and the West will take the
drastic action of the Senate Repuhli-
cans in the cases of Ladd, Brookhart
and Frazier Is of more Importance
than the immediate reaction of some
of the Senators or that action. If it
becomes evident that the people are
with Mr.. Coolidge and the Republican
organization of the Senate in this
matter. there may be less insurgency
in the Republican ranks of Congress
in the future. II the evidence is the
other way, then the insurgent group
may be expected to become more and
more active.
Word comes from Wisconsin that
the voters in that State are much
aroused over the treatment meted
out to Senator La Toilette and his
three followers by the Republicans of
the Senate. If the people of other
States in the Northwest feel the same
way. Mr.. La Follette's new party
movement, which has scarcely yet
raised its head, will be given a con-
siderable impetus Senator La Fol-
lette is still in Florida and seems,
bent on staying there until the spring
has actually arrived Chairman Will
liam NJ. Johnston of the committee
provided for at the recent Chicago
meeting of progressives who favor
La Follette's plan for a new liberal
party is still to call together his COM
mittee of Ave. That committee will
make plans for State meetings. US
ing La Toilette organizations of the
last campaign, at which, in turn,
plans will be made for sending dele
gates to national convention, where
the new party is actually to be
launched.
The hurry to get away from the
Senate and Washington is due, in
part, it is said, to the fact that SEN
ators wish to avoid all chance of
taking up the World Court protocol
for consideration in the present spe-
cial session of the Senate. The World
Court would run into long debate.
But on the World Court issue the
President occupies strategic posi-
tion If he wishes to go through with
it. He will have the Democrats almost
solidly back of his proposal to ad-
here to the court with certain reser-
vations. On the Republican side of
the chamber, while there will be
strong opposition, there nevertheless
will be an ample number of Senators
to make up the necessary two-thirds