The daily worker., 1927-03-09
THE POLITICAL ARENA
By BERT MILLER.

By BERT MILLER.
THE dominating forces in the Republican Party are
making progress in their effort to Calvin Cool
idge This is the conclusion to be drawn from recent
political events and from the illuminating article which
has just appeared in the New York Times.
Things have not prospered politically for Cautious
Cal in recent days He has made himself persona
grata with the powerful financial interests controlling
the Republican party They have decided that his
funess is at end. Representing the decadent manu-
featuring and industrial interests of New England he
finds himself far out of his depth handling the diff
cult problems with which American imperialism
fronts him. AS result witness well-orgsnized
and very definite effort within the Republican Party
discredit Coolidge and cast him into the political
scrap heap.
Instances of the PRESIDENTS incompetence are not
lacking and furthermore they have been thrust promi-
nenty into the limeight by his antagonists. His
bunglng methods in handling the recent negotiations
with Mexico and Nicaragua have not only helped to
expose American Imperialism in all its ruthessness
and hypocrisy before the eyes of the world but their
crudeness has in addition put American diplomacy in
a most ridiculous light. Opposition to the cruiser
building program brought down upon Coolidge the ire
Of The powerful Big Navy in Congress, while the
collapse of the proposed disarmament conference in
jured his prestige still further.
The dominant capitalist groups in this country
big problems ahead. The much vaunted prosperity is
not as secure as the workers have been led believe
Big labor struggles looming the horizon. The
possibilities Of imperialist ventures grows
daily certain Such important problems require
frmer hand at the wheel Coolidge fill the bill
Small wonder then that behold the astonishing
spectacle of Butler politely showing Coolidge the door
far the next presidential nomination is concerned
This open reputation of Coolidge by Nicholas Murray
Butler, Of the leading in the Republican Party
must be considered as most significant event.
With this background in view Mr.. Speers article
takes the utmost Importance. For instance, he
claims that when President Coolidge put his signature
the veto message of the McNary- -Haugen Farm Re-
lief Bill he touched off heavily charged current of
political electricity has been let loose in national
politics for years 1t has already welded about the
positive and negative poles of support and opposition
the two major economic groups whose political power
counts for most in the United Statesthe manufacturing
and the farming interests"
His article attempts to show that The fifteen states
whose representatives in congress supported the
McNary-Haugen bill will send no less than 392
delegates to the national convention and will control
ITS presidential electors 33 per cent balance
of power" And he declares that "The 392 delegates
from the above Is states, plus $50 delegates from
Southern and border states favorable the McNary-
Haugen bill, make 542 delegates lacking only about 13
to make the 555 necessary to choice. The 1S
likely may be Forthcoming from California Colorado
Idaho, Utah. Michigan, Wyoming, Mississippi, Georgia
whose members voted as to 16 on the BILL"
Mr. Speers mentions the possibility of either Lowden
Dawes the most formidable opposition to Cool
dge. We of the opinion that Dawes is by all odds
the stronger. Dawes has managed to win for himself
the reputation of being with the farmers through his
support Of the McNary- -Haugen BILL His support of
banking interests. The fact that Dawes is himself
banker and that his is associated with the
Dawes Plan, is an additional guarantee Of support
from this Dawes seeks to play the role of the
strong in American politics, the American Musso
lni. The recent senatorial fbuster will strengthen
bis hand in this respect in far it has demonstrated
the cumsness of parliamentary procedure in congress-
Meanwhile it would be we'll to consider for moment
the significance Of those developments far labor
is concerned The rising tide Of discomfort among the
Western farmers has frequently aroused talk of pos
sibe third party However, if Dawes becomes a cand-
date representing bloc of the banking and the farm
ing interests, then the possibility of the development
Of third party becomes slim, for the third party
movements of the last few years have depended to
large extent upon the support Of the western farmers
The development of third party would make it ex-
trcney difficult to bring about strong labor party
movement However, the nomination Of black reac-
tonary like Dawes whose labor record is ndefens
ible would make the possibilities Of labor party
movement much likely. Such movement would
undoubtedly rally the support of the poor farmers The
workers and farmers would do well to watch with the
closest attention the acts Of the political drama it
unfods during the coming year.