Montana labor news., 1932-05-26
THE WASHINGTON SCENE
(By LAURENCE d

wAsHINGToN-(FP)- seem to be a ace between Huey Long and
the desperation of hungry unemployed heads of famiies-to determine
which shall drag the Democratic party back from its postwar role of ally
of the G. Q. P, to resume its former character of middlecass defender
of the common people under capitalism against extreme exploitation by
big business. The energetic young politician from Louisiana, who began
the year by cheering and voting for Robinson, Harrison and the Bourbon
clique n the upper branch of Congress, has turned IN them with an i'm
pulsive enthusiasm that bodies them 10 good. He has delivered a series
of four speeches, each more effective than the preceding. In the last ne
ne branded Robinson as a corporation lawyer whose rich practice had all
come to him since he achieved the post of Democratic leader in the Sen
ate and he asked whether any citizen could believe that the Standard Oil
group the power trust IN the other sinister interests which now retain
Robinson would do 50 if he were not able to handle Democratic policy in
their behalf.
Turning from the moral to the political aspect of the Robinson leader
ship, Long contrashd the principles of Jefferson, Jackson and Bryan with
those of Robinson This was the first time in a decade that the name of
bryanLeader OF the antlWall Street element in the Democratic party
from 1896 to l924-had been invoked by a Democratic senator as a test
Of the faith of another leader. Long had shrewdy estimated the party
situaton-one in which neglect had killed the last signs of life in the
partys intelligence. Party chiefs did not know that millions of their
IN mat thy demanded a Redistribution OF income and wealth. But Long
sensed this despair and he knew how Bryan had galvanized the destitute
farmers and the unemployed into miitancy in 1896 by a single speech, in
which he dramatically assaned Wall Street.
Long has none of the qualities that made Bryan a leader of American
middle class political protest, except the ability to seize the right moment
to denounce the greed and stupidity of the ruling class. He has taken
that moment He has demanded that the tax bill. limit all private incomes
70 SiVooooV n al mherltances and gifts to s5Ooo0Oo per person dur
ing a lifetime. With engaging candor he admits that he has n % desire to
weaken American capitalism. On the contrary, he is prescribing the best
medeme ne knows to insure It's recovery from the grave illness that has
laid it low. Yet n the presence of such wichdoctors as Robinson and
Harrison and Copeland and Walsh of Massachusetts,, who would hold the
treatment asn Oh capitalism TO al incarnation around the words balanced bud
get" he is viewed IS a disturber, a dangerous radical even a revolutionary.
This is precisely what Long had hoped for. He gloriea in his leadership
back to Bryan and Jackson. He knows there are great numbers of Demo
cratic voters down South who will not read and think hard enough to
the worker to live. These voters are going to flock after Long, who will
be as futile in his own party a Pnchot in the G. Q. P. But their devotion
will make him political boss of a large part Of the Soulful he sticks to
his present course. One of the least depressing features If his coming de-
velopment will probably be his elimination of such men as Harrison, Robin
son, Stephens and Black from prominence in the South and from their
places in the Senate.
***&
Redistribution of income and wealth, Long announces to a worried Sen
ate, is necessary to American captaisms health. He has given ne sign
that he has worked out a definite plan for such redistribution of income
and wealth as will give security of life to the American wage Garner and
share-crop farmer. If hunger riots should within the next year starte the
country into rapid action to restore buying power to the unemployed Im sr
may be left behind in the race of political evolution. A new Democratic
leader may appear. But thus far, Huey has all the rac to himself. And
his gestures must be taken as seriously Is those of Bryan, tfhnging wide
his arms to symbolic his Cross of Colo.