Evening star., 1932-07-05
RAD|CAL|SM CHIEF
ISSUE OF CAMPAIGN.
Both Parties Expected to
Avoid Outright Label on
Economic Problems.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Special Dispatch to The Star.


CHICAGO, July 5.-With both ma
tional conventions passed into history,
national campaign more gripping than
any America has witnessed in 35 years
has begun. While prohibition will play
a part, economic readjustments will be
the principal and controlling issue.
Radicalism or conservatism? This is
the choice the voters viii be asked 10
make, though to be sure the Democrats
will deny they intend radicalism, while
the Republicans viii insist they ought
not to be clasSeo as reactionaries. The
Democrats will call themselves pro
gressives" and their opponents the
champions of reaction" while the Re-
publicans will not hesitate to proclaim
themselves as liberal conservatives"
and their opponents as true radicals.
Before the campaign is over the
American people will be asked to be-
lieve that the triumph of one or the
other party is going to make a pro-
found change in Americas economic
history. The Republicans are promis-
ing already that an expansion of credit
and the measures now under way will
bring economic equilibrium, and that
the Democrats are seeking power in or
der to put into effect the public owner
ship views of men like Senator Norris
of Nebraska, who has already indorsed
Roosevelt, and Senators Dill of Wash
ington, Wheeler of Montana and Huey
Long Of Louisiana. all Of whom played
prominent part not only in the writ
ing Of the platform, but in the victory
Of the Roosevelt candidacy at Chicago.
VIII Accept G. o. p. Plank.
When the conservatives of the East
set the NorriseS and the Longs and the
Wheelers riding on top of the wave they
will be inclined to think the Republican
prohibition plank is wet enough to suit
them and they will grid themselves for
the real fight between two major forces,
representing different schools Of thought
in economic evolution.
Certainly the liberal-conservative ele-
ment In the Democratic party, repre-
sented by former Gov. Smith, John J.
Raskob, Jouett Shouse, John w. Davis
and Gov. Ritchie, is not going to be
happy In national campaign which
champions the ideas Of the Western
Democrats. They will, of course, make
speeches and remain loyal to the party,
because to do otherwise would be set
ting bad example but if the attitude
OF conservative Democrats in and
around Chicago is an indication of what
Is coming among the followers Of this
ral-conServative" group of leaders.
then 1t may be taken for granted that
large numbers of business men who
have classed themselves as Democrats
are going to vote for Herbert Hoover.
An intimation, or rather an anticipa-
ton, of this was given by Gov. Roose-
velt himself in his acceptance speech
when he warned what he termed NOM
inal Democrats" that they had better
move out Of the party because they
were out Of step with the times. Ap-
parently the New York Governor is
willing to sacrifice that group in order
to win the elements that formerly sup
ported his distinguished kinsman,
Theodore Roosevelt, and also the Wood
row Wilson kind Of Democratic doc
trine.
Splits in Both Parties.
The campaign will quickly reveal
these cleaVages inside the Democratic
party. and to some extent, among the
Republicans, for there are radical Re-
publcans, especially in the Western
States, who will not vote for President
Hoover, but will prefer Gov. Roosevelt
This shifting of party lines may be
expected to larger extent than in any
campaign since 1896. The Eastern
States with large electoral votes are
normally conservative in a presidential
year, but it remains to be seen whether
the economic depression has caused a
political upheaval there, too.
The danger for the Roosevelt cam
paign lies in growing too explicit about
the character Of economic changes
that the Democrats would attempt to
put into effect If elected. So long as
their promises are general, the attack
of their opponents will have to be gen.
eral.
The strategy of the Republicans I'M
doubtedly will be to show to Eastern
| States and business communities in the
West the close relationship between
Roosevelt and the Western radicals. The
Democrats will seek to corral all the
discomfort.
The outlook Is too confused as yet
for definite appraisal of the effect of
this type OF campaign But before it
is over, the relationship of a change
In administration, either by fear of its
/ consequences or hope of its achieve
ments, to the pocketbook and bank ac-
count OF the voter will be the outstand-
ing issue on which the election will
/ turn.
Copyright, 1922