Evening star., 1932-02-23
PARTISAN FIGHT
HELD MISLEADING
Observers Find Both Parties
Pulling Together in Effort
to Pursue Own Courses.
BY MARK SULLIVAN.

The present eruption Of partisan
heckling and badinage between Repub-
lican and Democratic members of Con-
gress, about credit for Government
economy and for measures to promote
recovery for business is wholly super
fetal. The pickering between parties,
and the newspaper emphasis upon it, is
misleading
The fundamental fact is that be-
tween the two parties in Congress and
between Republican President and
Democratic Congress there is a COM
mon course of pursuit of economy and
OF measures to revive business. 1t con-
stitutes the most important present as
pect Of Washington. It is not a truce
because 1t did not come about thrcugh
formal agreemS1t of leaders. 1t is not
cooperation because it did not come
about through mutual understanding in
advance.
What has happened is that Demo-
cratic Speaker Garner of the House
has taken the path of economy and of
balancing the budget and through his
extraordinary ability in leadership has
carried his party on that course. The
party has achieved a solidarity not
deemed possible at the beginning of
the session. The solidarity has been
used for the prompt furtherance of
measures of economy and of recovery
from depression. Praise of Gamers
speakership is practically universal in
every quarter of both parties from high
to low
Bellies Prediction of Chaos.
The actual condition has belied all
the predictions, universal in December
that possession of the House by one
party, with the administration in con-
troll of the other, would lead to cross
purposes and chaos. The fact is this
Congress has accomplished much more
in a shorter time than is usual in
normal Congress with all branches of
the Government controlled by one party.
As between Republicans and Demo-
Gratis, the Democrats have gone. if any,
thing, further tnan the Republicans in
economy. They have made reductions
in practically every appropriation bill
laid before them. They have gene
rather farther than the Republicans in
determination to balance the budget, to
lay sufficient taxes and to spread them
over a wide basis by including new sub
jects of taxation.
In enacting the recent measures 'for
relief of depression the unity of the
Democrats and their speed in action
brought public tribute from Republic
weight, Representative Carroll L. Beedy
of Maine. publicly expressed his re
spect for the attitude which the Demo-
cratic party has taken in its efforts to
legislate for the well being of the coun-
try. 1 think that party has shown
degree of patriotism seldom exhibited
except under exigencies of war"
Parties Pull Together.
The true picture is that the donkey
and the elephant have somehow man
aged to back, buck and kick themselves
into double harness and are pulling side
by side in the same direction. They
are not pair. and they are grotesquely
rniemated They are not a team, and
each repudiateS as a slight upon its
honor the idea that it would practice
t~2rlUork with the other. Instinctively
ee"'' is reluctant and confused to find
it-e'f going the same way as the other.
r-cvc-thelecs, with each pulling on his
own account and in the same direction,
e ~aordinary progress is accomplished.
The chickering's at each other about
credit for what is done is like the
s~app-ng that spirited horses often
r-actice. The Immediate occasion Of
last weeks outbreak started with the
Lincoln day dinners all over the coun-
try, at which Republican orators lived
up to the tradition of calling attention
to their partys virtues. Democrats
were irritated by feeling the Republican
orators claimed more credit for recent
achievements than is their due.
IN April will come Thomas Jeffersons
birthday and series of Jefferson din
ners, at which undoubtedly Democratic
orators. will do the pointing with
pride, ~ and that will be followed by Re
publican repining. What all the bick-
ering actually represents, if seen truly,
is competition as to which is pulling
hardest on the load. This is shown
clearly by the particular subject of the
present acute recrimination. Democrats
claim that reorganization of Govern
ment departments is their idea and in
sist that when done it shall be their
accomplishment. Republicans make the
same claim for President Hoover. 1t is
the identity of purpose that is the i'm
portant thing. 1t is unusual and so
conspicuous as to be a phenomenon.