New Britain herald., 1927-10-06
BELONGING TO \ PARTY

BELONGING TO \ PARTY
 Joining d political party is about the easiest thing the citizen-voter can do. No dues are required-un- less, perhaps, one belongs to a so- called political club" nothing is necessary except a tacit understand ing that the party is satisfying.
 It may be true that the joiner of such a political party may have but a hay notion regarding the prin- cipal issues 1t functions as a cog in settling; 1t may be true, in fact, that the general principles of the party may not be thoroughly understood. But to be a member does not re- quire such high-falutin considera- tions, the main consideration being 10 vote right" on election day.
 Judge Roche, in giving judicial ttN INC u ti IlGSS VI newly citizens, made the assertion that one should first become a voter and then join a political party.
 There is something to be said in favor of the citizen who holds lit tie aloof from the pretensions Of the ' yND fn I InF nj ta membership is concerned Why should an intelligent human being seek to be rubber stamped by poli- ticians? He should or ought to know, if he is above the grade of the moron mind, thS the active leaders in the parties generally are such because of the opportunity for po- litical preferment. that they favor large rank and file membership in order to further their ambitions.
 The trend in late years in this country has been decidedly away from blind allegiance to the piliti cal parties We have an increasing , number of nonpartisan elections, l and hundred or so cities, large and small, have adopted the city man. ager or commission form of local government as a means of avoiding 1 Hn i'm ,i, ,r average political government.
 Certainly We vote by parties. and 1 this remains government or ! parties; but 10 vote at all naturally requires casting a vote for a party ] candidate. It does not mean, how ever, that the persons casting such a vote must necessarily be definitely a member of such a party.
 There are thousands of the very best type of citizens who spurn the ! party designation. who vote Ropub- lican one year and Democratic the Il'hA Nli'ali tlloltt I''tIlulHp FIlllTt- ly upon the character of the candj dates put forward.
 The greater the number of indc- pendent citizens politically speak lng-the greater care the party moguls feel justified in exercising in
 no vt
 One must at least tentatively designate ones self as a member Of a political party in order to vote in the primaries; but there Is abundant reason to think that the voters dc
 not regard this as genuine party , membership. Many of them. if the
 winning primary candidates do no, satisfy, vote for the candidates of the
 other party at the following cleo
 ton.
 Suppose the Democrats nominat, Governor Smith for the presidency In such an cv"ntuality thousands o
 regular Republicans" are going tt vote for him This is undcniahle anc
 the grand old party magnates ar' fully aware of the prospectiv'
 exodus from the ranks of partisan
 ship. Every Ropuhican who vote
 for smith will be exercising tn, fundamentals of Amcricanism-h,
 will be voting for the candidate Il,
 deems the best for the job That's always the better plan.