Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-22
Party Regularity.

The Government of the United States
has been a two-party government for
years. Frequently there have been
third party" movements. But in the
end the country returned to the two
party system. Now and then major
political party has been swallowed up
and has vanished from the boards-duc
to gathering strength Of third party
or to new issues. More frequently, the
older political parties have survived and
the third party movements have dissi-
pated into thin air The American
people are used to two-party system.
1t meets their needs and gives them
more effective manner of expressing
themselves at the polls. 1t would be
misfortune if the bloc" system should
prevail in the Congress of the United
States. Party regularity, which means
loyalty to party platforms and party
candidates and officials, is essential if
tie party system is to prevail. This need
not mean blind subserviency to any in
dividual leader, in the White House or
out. But it should mean that men who
represent themselves to be members of
a party will not oppose measures ad-
vanced by the party leader merely
because he happens to be the party
leader.
Robert H. Lucas, executive director
of the Republican National Committee.
in statement issued simplifying his
reasons for opposing Senator George w.
Norris of Nebraska in the recent cleo
ton said:
To accept Office at the hands of this
party (the Republican party) and then
viciously oppose its policies, principles
and leadership brings an intolerable
situation and one which must be
eradicated if the party is to live. Such
conduct by Senator Norris has been
revolving, and until the leaders of the
Republican party not only fail to sup
port, but give their active opposition
to men like Senator Norris, they are
not doing their full duty to the party
which has come down to us from Lin
coin.
Most people will believe with Mr..
Lucas that Senator Norris has taken
himself outside of the Republican party
by his acts; that he should have run,
not as a Republican but as Demo-
crat or as an independent for re-elec-
ton to the Senate this year. Senator
Norris, however, elected to enter the
Republican primary and was renomi-
mated. 1t is an open secret that he
had wide Democratic support in Ne
braska. However, he received the Re-
publican nomination. It was up to the
Republican high command, in Nebraska
and out of it, at that time either to
accept Mr.. Norris in good faith as a
Republican candidate or to repudiate
him, and TO do this openly. Unfor-
tunately there was not that openness
in the opposition to Norris. 1t was
sought by indirection to do that which
some Republicans high in the party,
including Mr.. Lucas. desired. These
diatribes against Norris come little
late.
Recent developments have played
into the hands of Mr.. Norris, who at
least may claim that what he has done
in opposition to the leadership of the
Republican party, he has done openly
He winds about him the martyr cloak
The so-called Republican Progress
sives who follow Senator Norris have
a perfect right to their ideas, political
and economic. If they are to remain
members Of the Republican party, how
ever, they should give a measure OF
party loyalty. If they can prevail upon
a majority Of the Republican party to
take their views, these views become
those of the party. Otherwise, they
should take themselves and their ideas
into some other party, if they are not
willing to conform. 1t is a difdcult
matter to run with the hares and the
hounds, too. Nor is it a proper thing
to attempt to do.