Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-19
LEWIS DENOUNCES
PARTISAN TACTICS
Believes a Higher Purpose
Should Rule Actions
of Legislators.
CONTINUED FROM First Page)

1.-THE Democrats can only succeed by
recognizing that it is the democracy of
humanity we must appeal to and not
alone to the Democratic party as a
political organization. The times are
demanding democracy in the broad
sense. Republicanism's true meaning
h. been omitted and ignored by the
Republican leaders.
THE .oCntry has grown impatient
with the dickering obstruction OF the
Republican party leaders against their
own President. The great heart OF
democratic humanity rebels against the
President of the United States being
constantly assailed and held up before
the worl as lacking in intelligence and
wanting in integrity Of conduct.
They are prepared to defeat the set
of men, Republican or Democrat, who
won't recognize that the office of PreSi-
dent is the peoples Office and is to be
treated as the great, high dignity Of
the world"
Prohibition Issue Seen.
The Illinois Senator, now installed
in his Offices here, asserted that Dro-
hibition c. aid not fail to be a domi-
nant issue in the coming national cam
paign. In his own campaign against
Mrs Ruth Hanna Mccormick, Repub-
lican, Senator Lewis ran as an opro-
Senator Lewis is the only Democratic
Senator from Illinois in years. He him
self served a term Of six years in the
Senate during the Wilson adminiStra-
ton, but was defeated at the end OF
that term by the late Senator Medlll
Mccormick, whose widow Senator Lewis
recently defeated But long ago the
Democratic State organization came out
strongly for the nomination of Senator
Lewis for President next year. Friends
OF Senator Lewis insist that the Demo-
critic delegation to the national con-
vention in 1882 will be instructed Tor
Lewis.
"what 1 feel is the prospect OF the
Democratic party in the approaching
national election. answer on the
basis of a man who has made his fight
70 Dem. cratic success in a State that
was 100000 normally Republican and
which in the Coolidge election was
800 600, and which has run from ESQ.,
600 to 900 900 Republican majority in
late presidential elections I impress
Ssron Won that we Democrats in making
q fght can't ignore that Illinois has
never gone Democratic for United
States senator in a straight party fight
since the election of Stephen A. Doug
las in the days of the Civil War. Hi
nc.5 indicates very much the status OF
that Mississippi Valley, or what we call
the doubtful States. 1t has elected
David Davis, who left us. but both be-
ino elected to the Senate in the COM
bination of Democrats and Farm-Labor.
Elected by Legislature.
at was chosen in 1912 by a popular
vote, but it was contended that the
provisions of the law had not been
approved by our Legislature, and I had
to be confirmed by an election of the
Legislature. The legislature was one
third Republican, one-third Democratic
and one-third Progressive. was finally
elected by the combination Of the Re-
publicanS and Democrats. ProgreSsiveS
did not vote for me.
For that reason I held myself dur
ing all the Wilson administration a
Democrat in the broad sense Of owing
a debt to the Republicans in a nom
partisan sense. This situation enabled
me to see where the Democracy could
profit by course that was wise or lose
by one that was q blunder.
This time my election to the Senate
was by popular vote, the Republican
majority of 600o 900 being reversed by a
100000 Democratic majority This
shows that the vote was Republican
which elected me, and while stand as
Democrat I decline to be partisan
with the limitations preventing me ex-
tending equality and justice to Repub-
icanS as fellow citizens"
After declaring that the country is
impatient because Of queer partisan at
tacks in Congress, Senator Lewis con-
tinued:
Above all, that the President Of the
United States should be supported and
sustained in the Office when he Is act
- -A-Es "a III ATAA tn
and seeking to do the things that he
feels were committed to him by the
popular vote il the ballot that put him
in tn position. That is why he seeks
TO execute the commissions which the
citizens ga re him, expressed in the plat
form Of principles upon which the peo-
pie elected him.
Drastic End Foreseen.
II, as an American, regret to say that
my fellow statesmen Of all parties have
failed to understand that If they con-
tinue the obstruction Of the President
of the United States, seeking to de-
feat anything he inaugurates, for no
other reason than that it is from one
called Republican, or as Republican
who opposed the other set of Republi-
cans, the end will be that there never
will be any measure passed as will rive
or which the President was authorized
to execute. The end viii be that the
Democratic party, coming into power,
will be met legitimately by Republic
cans with the same form Of obstruction
and destruction that the Republicans
had to contend with, and which it in
turn retaliateS upon its successor.
Prove Craftsmanship.
81 see the present day as the oppor-
tunity for America to prove in her
craftsmanship an ability and capacity
above that thin, that is destroying the
other free governments Of the world
] see in America and her statesmen the
chance to save us from the fate of Rus
STA, Turkey and China, but to which 1t
seems our statesmen are rapidly driy-
ing our own Nation.
II now come to the other feature
feel has been overlooked. The World
War brought new issues unknown to the
generations before that. Remember
that the old tariff discussion, the old
States rights, Of national sovereignty
disputes and all the prejudices that
went with them that kept up an issue
between the parties in the past lifetime
are dead. The new generation that
came back fro the World War brought
with them new ideals, and now hold
with their sisters and their brothers
one-third of all the votes Of the United
States. These are looking for a place
to pledge to their political faith and
for principles to follow that they fee
are Americ: and represent the things
they profess to have fought for. Let
it be seen that these alone by theil
consolidated vote can carry any presi-
Dental election. Their numbers govern
the several doubtful States that defeat
or elect a President in America. If We
do not show 10 these the spirit of 9