Evening star., 1932-03-17
The La Follettes.

Senator Robert NJ La Toilette, jr,
and Gov. Philip L. La Toilette, both
of Wisconsin and brothers, gave their
Interpretation Of the progressive idea
of government in remarkable program
in The Stars National Radio Forum
Monday night. Senator La Toilette
dealt particularly with the Federal Gov
ernment and Gov. La Toilette with the
government Of the States. But both
discussed the problems Of government
from the economic point of view and
both arrived at the same conclusion
that a new deal is needed in this
country.
The La Follettes contended that the
great need in this country today is
broadened purchasing power in the
hands of the masses Of the people.
This is obviously true If the great in
dustries of the country are not to lie
idle over long periods Of time. 1t is as
much to the interest Of capital as it
is to labor. Capital invested in huge
industries with tremendous producing
power vanishes into thin air if no
purchasers can be found for these
products. The premise laid down by
Senator La Toilette and by his brother,
the Governor, is sound. Their proposed
methods to broaden purchasing power
in the hands of the masses, however,
may be subject to criticism. For ex-
ample, Gov. La Toilette proposes public
ownership and control of enough heat,
light and power to protect public in
terest. He proposes, too, creation of
machinery to enable business to gov
ern itself. and an adjustment Of the
taxing burden that will remove many
tax burdens from the farms, homes
and places of business.
A great difficulty arises when the
Government, State or Federal, owns in
part the public utilities; privately owned
utilities find it difficult to compete with
utilities of the same kind owned and
operated by the Government. The ulti-
mate result Of such a proposal prob
ably would be the ownership Of all
utilities by the Government, a result
which would be entirely foreign to the
idea that Government should leave busi-
ness to the private citizens of the Unit
ed States. More and more the Gov
ernment has moved into the business
field, it is true, but its experiments in
this direction have not been happy.
But it is clear that privately owned
business in this country has not been
q great shining light In the present de-
preston. Gov. La Follette's proposal,
therefore, that some machinery be set
up to enable business to govern itself
Is timely.
Senator La Toilette advanced again
his plan for Federal contribution to the
relief of the unemployed in this coun-
try and for . great public works pro-
gram to give employment, with FIVE
billion-dollar Government bond issue to
meet the expenses Of such a program.
The plan for direct Federal aid to the
unemployed raises the specter Of Fed
eral dole, which has threatened the
breakdown of government in Great
Britain and Germany. Every Ameri-
can will agree that his Government
should step in and prevent starvation
and distress, but only as a last resort.
President Hoover, who has opposed d.
rect Federal contributions, has said as
much. The Wisconsin Senator objects
to the lending Of money to railroads
and banks as means Of resuscitating
business and asserts that the Govern
ment should borrow money to conduct
public works. Under the first plan,
however, the banks and the railroads
must pay the money so borrowed and
pay interest on 1t. Under the second,
the Government must meet the pay
ment of the bonds and the interest
thereon, and the Government can OBJ
tain the money to meet these payments
only by taxing the people.
For more than quarter of a century
the State of Wisconsin has been domi-
mated politically by the progressive ideas
of government, originating with the late
Senator Robert Marion La Toilette, who
served both as Governor of his State
and as United States Senator. Wis
consin has fiourished it is out Of debt;
its people are in the main prosper
Gus even in these days of depression.
The wisconsin idea" is carried for
ward today by the youthful Senator
and even more youthful Governor, sons
of the late Senator La Toilette. Many
OF the changes in government proposed
by the senior La Toilette have become
law. Indeed. they are no longer re-
garded as either radical or extreme.
Under the leadership Of the La Fol-
lettes today these progressive ideas are
being translated more and more into
law and custom. Too great concentra-
ton Of wealth In too few hands is one
of the evils at which they strike today.
Their proposals may be modified, but
they cannot, of necessity, be laughed
off.