Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1933-09-14
"A NATIONAL
THIRD PARTY
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continued from rage -
peculiar attachment. Persons pro-
Tossing Republicanism and not SUD-
scribing intellectually to the Tory
view of life are being looked upon by
party members as imposters, parading
under false colors. Conservative DEM
ocrats also are commencing to feel
that they have been away from home
all these years-that they belong un-
der the Republican roof.
And it is true that Progressive Re-
publicans have, in certain sense,
been parading under false colors, al
belt they may not have known 1t.
They never had any claims whatever
to the Republican label. But what
they regarded as sound strategy
proved otherwise; the false label
caused their downfall. Witness the
Progressive Republican debacle In
Wisconsin in the last election! Would
such a thing have occurred had the
LaFollettes been Farmer-Laborites in
stead of Progressive Republicans? l
hardly think so. The cgessive Re-
publican is becoming man without
party.
New National Party by 1886.
Democracy is in state of flux just
now There are cross currents OF
radicalism and of liberalism, with
some strains of conservatism. The
New Deal is a compromise between
1.-THE first two and perhaps with the
latter in minor way. But liberal
ism itself is largely compromise
philosophy; it lacks positive coloring.
1t is too early as yet to judge the
New Deal. Is it a too far to the Left
movement to ultimately be part and
parcel of a Democracy? There are
not a few Democratic politicians who
do not claim a blood, relationship with
President Roosevelts brain trust"
If the New Deal fails, will Roosevelt
swing further to the Left or move over
to the Right? If the former, he must
fall into the very lap of the radical,
and go over to the doctrine of virtual
} specialization of industry. The latter
possibility, with the attendant oppor-
!, tunities for radical changes in the
social and economic structures is not
to be disregarded by radicals. 1t
: is highly probable that we can enroll
the left wings of both old parties into
| third party by 1886. l am looking
, forward with optimism to that align
ment.
There is room for the Democratic
} party as the party of the liberal, and
, &c xryho
doubtedly become. 1t would acquire
, an altogether too far stretch of the
: imagination to predict the Democratic
D party as the champion of radicalism
5 A radical party-yes, united rad
? ical party-must come sooner or later
r to America as the challenge to Tory
Y ism and to philosophy that compro
misses with Toryism. 1t must come a.
the challenge to the Tory view of life
That challenge is in the air; Ions
. sustained economic depression caused
more and more persons are beginnin.
to believe, by something inherent.
;. faulty in our capitalistic order
! brought that challenge to the surface
The New Deal is merely holding tina
cndllenge III dDeydnce.
Fundamental, Fearless, Practical.
n For the first time in American pc
h litical history we are beginning to ge
+ at fundamentals in Analysing and find
ing fault with our economic order
: We are criticizing in a serious way
n our method for distributing wealth
. our inability to utilize the product
: of the machine for the betterment o
). the great masses of our people ha
q caused us to ponder deeply. The alb
n sence of constructive thought from
= our industrial leaders,-our self
. anointed leaders-has removed tn
. cobwebs from our minds. They ar
not holy and not indispensable as W.
were taught to believe.
If third party movement is to be
9 come an important factor in Amer
= lean politics, it must be somethin
substantially different from the oil
parties. 1t must not be opportunisth
1t must espouse a new economic phil
osophy and set out its sails fearlessl
on the political seas. 1t must be revo
= lutionary and at the same time wei
grounded in a practical program, on
j., possible of achievement.
n The Farmer-Labor party in Mime
sofa, in the last state election, wa
not afraid to advance radical though
which met with strong opposition /
! certain quarters. We campaignet
4 for example, for the enactment OF a
r. unemployment insurance law; state
n wide old age pension; for submissio
ID Iof constitutional amendment to pei
20 nit the state to build and operate di:
trict power plants and to sell elet