The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-05-04
WhotSWhot@Woshin8ton
INSURGENTS HOLD BALANCE OF POWER BUT THEY
HAVEN'T AN IDEA WHAT TO DO WITH 1T
(By A Staff Correspondent


called insurgents or Independents who
in 1924 instituted the La Toilette
Wheeler presidential race and who
after it's collapse lapsed into innocu-
Gus office-holding propose to fight"
Coolidge's reelection within the par
ty."
Senator Robert M. La Toilette, Jr.,
who from being his fathers secretary
at a nice fat salary, became his sue
cessor when the elder died in 1925, re-
Gently informed press inquirers that
he believed" it was the plan of the
"progressives" to fight Coolidge
within the party ranks. What he
meant was simply, that cozened and
well-salaried he and the rest Of the
group of impotent liberals in Con-
gress intended playing the old politi-
cal game that his father was such
master at.
Will Make A Noise.
They will go to the conventions, de-
mand certain progressive "planks"
and grab off much publicity. They
will then return to their States and
amid much righteous Indignation de-
nounce their reactionary party bed
fellows and run for reelection on
liberal platforms" Those of them
who are not up for reelection will
go off vacationing in choice summer
spots.
Next Congress these progressives
will be the balance of power in the
Senate. AS a matter of fact they can
pretty nearly control legislation in
the two Houses. But outside of a
little lasidasical chatter about get
ting together" and formulating a
program" they have taken no steps
or done nothing to use this power that
will be theirs if they had the cOur-
age, the fight, the capacity to use it.
Not One Worker.
There will be eight so-called pro-
gressive senators and - similarly
progressive representatives in the
next Congress. Not one, with the ex-
ception of Senator Norris who has an
nounced that he is fed up with what
he designated as the hopelessness of
the situation and will retire to his
State, Nebraska, at the end of his
term, have any capacity for leader
ship, or d consciousness of the great
class struggle that is going on. Not
one mas workers antecedents. Most
of their are lifelong politicians, men
who have lived long and well from
the public trough.
Runs With Wealthy.
Take the senators. La Toilette was
reared in the Washington i.tla"efhere.
lie is sleek, we'll groomed, and socially
acceptable. His social associates dle
the sons and daughters of the
wealthy and the powerful. Recently
when he went off for a vacation he
went 10 that playground of the social
elite, Raleigh, North Carolina. The
papers carried pictures Of him attired
in the most fashionable riding clothes
consorting with Ely-scented bellies Of
the best families.
Let Workers Wait.
Last winter when textile delega-
tions from Passaic came to Washing
ton to urge him and his progressive
colleagues to have :. federal inquiry
into the textils. industry, he let them
cool their heels. The reason was
simple. The a. :. o. l.. bosses, who |
are his pciit.eHi advisers, demanded
that he lay OF, and he did.
The correspondent recalls one oc-
casion wnen the reporters asked him
point blank why he and Senator
Wheeler, menDec Of the Senate Com
mittee on Manufacturers, did not go
over the committees head and call
upon the Senate to take action.
He was noh-committal, beyond say
ing that Senator Phipps, ultra-reac-
tionary from Colorado against whom
charges of excessive campaign ex-
penditures are even now pending be- |
fore the Senate campaign fund COM
mittee, was fighting the idea very
bitterly. OF course he was fighting it, |
and so was Senator Butler from Mas
sachusetts, big textile operator and
President Coolidge's best friend.
Never Did Anything.
Senator La Toilette never did any
thing on the Passaic matter. The
strikers and their attorney, Frank p. /
Walsh, finally turned to Senator
Borah, who likewise did nothing,
although he did make an effort to
bring the workers and employers to-
gether, privately. La Toilette is a
politician, without consciousness Of a
fundamental economic program or
fundamental economic idea, other than
keeping his berth.
He has a ready mouth for the GUS
tomary liberal blah and gushes
readily. He has already informed
friends that if Coolidge vacations in
Wisconsin this year he will make