Evening star., 1932-11-09
G. 0. ?. RIFT RAISES
VITAL QUESTIONS
Roosevelt Likely to Decide
Party Lines by Plans
for Insurgents.
BY BYRON PRICE,
Associated Press Stan Writer,

Two prime political questions are
raised by the election returns: Will the
Roosevelt new deal accomplish an
actual working union between the
Democrats and independents who voted
1t to victory, and who will take charge
Of the remaining assets Of the Repub-
lican party?
Naturally these two questions are in
tertwtned and must work themselves
out Soncurrently. What the Republicans
do will depend largely on what Mr.
Roosevelt does. The extent to which
the Republican party will pass over
now to more liberal or less liberal lead
ership will be determined largely on
how completely the new administration
preempts one of these fields for itself
In his contest for the presidency, the
successful Democratic nominee had the
open support of four Western Repub-
lican Independent Senators and one
Western independent Republican Gov
ernor. He had the more or less tacit
support Of a score or more of other
State leaders. at least to the extent that
they did not support Mr.. Hoover.
Expect Some Reward.
These supporters will expect some
sort of reward They will expect at
least, to find the White House door
open to them, and, to be consulted on
major policies.
1t is possible that the new President,
for his own purposes, may want to
give them recognition. For years 1t
ha- been political axiom that there
are more Republicans than Democrats
in the country, and Mr.. Roosevelt may
feel that his only hope ofs real ma
ie 20 of = I,a
erstwhi!e Republicans on his side.
This all may be somewhat difficult to
work out. The Democrats in Congress,
for instance. are jealous of their COM
mittee chairmanships, and some Of the
Western independents may have their
eyes on those same chairmanships. On
the leadership which Mr.. Roosevelt is
able to bring to this problem. and the
extent Of control he is able to exercise
over the assorted groups of his suppor-
ters, may depend whether this country
Is to see soon the birth of a real liberal
party.
The guess Of many political observers
is that, times being what they are, next
March will see installed in the cabinet
some Of the outstanding Democrats who
are considered safest" by the industrial
world How far can the new President
SU III llldI UlItCllOIl WllllUut dIclldlllls
his Western friends?
Must Solve It Himself.
It Is a problem which he must solve
for himself Elected as he was, with
the diverse support he had, it is not a
question which is likely to be left to
any counsel of party leaders.
AS for the Republicans, it is difficult
to see how they can do anything but
make fresh start, from the ground up.
Their worst defeat since the disastrous
split of 1912 raises sharply the problem,
not only OF policies. but Of leaders, and
not only what leaders, but what kind of
leaders
1t would be exceptional If Mr.. Hoo
yer, after the overwhelming defeat he
has suffered. should again aspire to
party leadership. It's no secret that
even in this campaign he did not re-
ceive the unstinted support of many of
the State leaders. who nominally were
for him Yet there appears today no
other party figure who stands out as
his logical successor, unless possibly 1t
be Calvin Coolidge, who dwells in ST.
lence and retirement.
At least three separate schools of po-
litical thought are discernible among
the Republicans. and it seems entirely
possible that each Of the three may
aspire to make itself the receiver Of
what is left over when the losses of
the 1882 election finally are totaled UP.
Old Guard Shakened.
First there is the Old Guard Of Wat
son. Smoot and Moses, itself badly
shaken and its ranks depleted by yes
terday's overturns. At the other ex-
treme stand the Independents like
Borah, Norris and johnson. Some
where between is the Young Guard of
the Senate, men like Vandenberg and
Capper. Which of the three will sue
coed in the scramble for party DOM
nance?
This struggle will go on with an in
tense and never-ceasing vigor in the
months just ahead. 1t may be that out
of it will come a new leader who re-
CARDS himself as belonging to none of
the three warning factions.
That solution would seem the only
practical one, but its first requisite is
a man who really can lead, and that's
the rub.