Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-28
The Progressive Program.

The Progressive Republicans OF the
Senate and the Progressive Republicans
Of the House, in the persons of Senator
Norris of Nebraska and Representative
La Guardia Of New York, have agreed
on program" generally speaking, for
the next Congress. The program win
include, among other things, tax legis-
lation, unemployment measures and
farm relief. The Progressives hold the
balance Of power In both House and
Senate. It Is still too early, however,
to predict just what they will or can do
with 1t. Senator Norris and Representa-
tive La Guardia say that they do not
expect the Republican Progressives or
the Democratic Progressives to break
away from their party allegiance when
it comes to organizing the Senate and
the House, electing President pro
tempore and a Speaker and forming
the standing committees. However, 1t
seems probable that the Progressiyes in
both houses. among the Republicans,
will make the best terms they can with
the regular Republican leaders before
they actually cast their votes for Re
publican organization.
One thing the Republican Progressiyes
will be able to do is to kick up q row, with
frequent attacks on the administration
and its legislative program. If past per-
formances count for anything, they may
be expected TO go right ahead along
those lines. 1t is one thing, however,
to throw a monkey wrench into the ma
chipery and quite another to make the
machinery go the way the Progressives
desire it to 60. With q national cleo
ton in the dining, the Democrats as well
as the regular Republicans will have
to watch their step. If the Democrats
in the Senate and House undertake at
the coming session TO approve all the
proposals Of the Progressives merely for
the sake Of embarrassing the Hoover adj
ministration, they will have to wear the
Progressive label In the campaign. They
cannot be one thing in washington and
another out in the country-not If the
Republican spellbinders have anything
to say about 1t.
The Progressives talk Of tax revision,
with increases in tax rates, particularly
for those who have large incomes. But
the Republican leaders in Senate and
House say fatty that they look for no such
increases at the coming session Of Con-
gress. Even Progressive Senator Borah.
who favors such changes, does not be-
lieve. he says, that tax increases can
be put through in the session which
opens next December and closes as the
campaign is beginning. When 1t comes
to farm relief and to unemployment
legislation, the remedies which will be
advanced are so numerous and so con-
fiicting that the prospects Of legisla-
ton do not appear bright. The country
has before it the object-lesson Of one
experiment in seeking through legisla-
ton to fx the. price Of wheat at .
higher level when there Is a surplus
Of production.
The aspirations Of the farmer and
the industrial worker are indeed worthy
of attention by the national legislators
and by the country at large. They make
UP the great bulk Of the population.
Economically these aspirations conflict,
since the farmer must purchase the
product Of the industrialist and the Ia
borer must purchase the product Of the
farmer. How well farmer and laborer
will travel in double harness time alone
will tell At present, II the Progressives
are to be believed, they are united
against the capitalist" The farmer,
however, is himself n capitalist. With
modern prosperity the farmer could not
be weaned from his position in favor OF
the system which has prevailed 80 long
IN this country. And many Of the
farmers today are moderately prosper
Gus, despite the fact that there have
been so many farm failures. Labor has
been hard hit by depression and lack OF
employment in the industries. But open
again the factory and the mill, and la
Dor win continue TO demand as cheap
food as he can obtain while labor itself
gathers capital Socialism cannot stand
against indiyidualism IS long as the
individual Is measurably happy and has
real opportunity TO improve his condi-
ton.