Evening star., 1927-05-21
Buffers Third-Party Plan
ArOuses Little Enthusiasm

Dr. Nicholas Murray Buffers sug-
gest1on in a Baltimore speech that
both major parties have avoided the
prohibition issue and that tn ical
thing would be to establish a third
party. a the object of testing pub
llc sentiment, is received by the tjun-
try with little enthusiasm Two def
mite idea prevail-that third party
might serve TO settle the question as
to the extent of wet sentiment and
that DIR. Butler himself woul2 be an
appropriate standard bearer for such
a new party
AnalYZing the situation, the Colum
bus Ohio State Journal Rep .blican)
agrees that lit is coWardly the way the
parties trim on this issue, which, with
hardly any doubt, is p mount in the
Hli $ of the majority of the voters. 3"
That paper adds, however: But
what can the pC~~ parties do? Senti-
ment In each is 'hopelessly divided as
to the wisdom of Nolsteadism. A
straightforward, unequivocal declara-
ton on the subject by either would
ALLEVIATE In wholesale lots the vaters
on whom it must rely. Under these
circumstances. the idea of orgal ing
new party. either bone-dry or drin-
ping wet, is theoretically logical
enough, but the trouble is that the
party would not get enough V es to
count"
The moderation issue would not be
a bond s-rons enough to hold them
together" asserts the So~th Bend
Tribune independent Republican,.
The Democrats would be longing to
return to their true environment, the
| Republicans to theirs. Recognizing 81
dispo; a tOw4rd Il liberal revolt in
both parties. represented by move
ments to put liberals toward as presi-
dental cendid~ tes we still cannot see
third party composed of dissatisfied
Democrats and Republicans on Il mod
Grafton platform.
Giving Serio consideration DR.
Buffers charge that the eighteenth
amendment is 'the primary source of
laWlesSness and contempt for law. of
hypocrisy and coWardice," !" the Hart
ford Courant Republican) says: Here
obviously is situa ton of vital con
sequence, not only to the Nation as
such. but to the people who compose it.
! Yet party managers and candidates
have not the courage to face it, lest
by 50 doing they alienate the votes of
those who believe that principles aof
government are of no importance as
enforce total abstinence upon the
whole body polite. 1t is not
going to be possible for the Republi-
can and Democratic parties to con
tinue forever a policy of evasion
which leaves them as much alike as
two peas in pod"
X * Il
1T is not beyond the possibilities" D."
according to the Portland Oregon Jour
| nal Independent DemocratiC), that a
new party will come forward in the
| United States unless there is a reor-
| ganiZation of the old parties. Perhaps
| the prohibition issue win have a part
! in the cleavage. But there are other
| issues also on which the people would
| find serious difficulty in expressing
| themselves under the present leader
| ship of the old organizations.
| Can the voters Spress themselves
when the parties stand for little cr
nothing? Can they express them
selves when Democrats are lined up
with Republicans on party measures
and vice versa? Can the old parties
| go on when there Is no opposition. one
| to the other? What did the 1000, ,000
votes cast for La Toilette in 1924
mean if the liberal voters were not
| looking for place to g0?'o
"By no means beyond the possibili
ties" is the verdict Of the Springfield
Union Republican,, which finds the
reason in the fact fhlt membership
is not united on this and other ques
| tions." and that there are in each
| party elements which have more in
| common with elements in The opposine ,
| party than with other elements N
their own" The Union warns ,hat IF
| by 1882 they do not a2qrire more cour-
age they may find DR.. Buffers Dretlic-
ton being more accurately fulfilled
| than they now believe possible"
Declaring that prohibition either
must be enforced or be repealed" the
Aberdeen World independently argues
THE politicians cannot keep on talk
| ing enforcement with their tongues in