The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-18
Liberal Viewpoint
By DIR. HARRY ELMER BARNES -


xxTHArEvER their own political or economic
w views all important commentators on
American party system before 1888 are agreed
that American party lineup was illogical and
preposterous We have had two major parties
which we're thoroughly conservative in their
setup and both about equally devoted to the
service Of property interests.
The average voter had essentially no choice.
If he wished to register his confidence in old
line capitalism, he was in a quandary as to
whether to vote for the Republicans or the
Democrats His decision was usually determined
by his hereditary and family political rela-
tionships.
If he was an advance liberal and progress
sve, but was scared by the name of social
ism, he had nowhere 20 turn For millions of
Americans who stood somewhere between Her
bert Hoover and Norman Thomas, there was
nothing to do at election time but to vote with
out enthusiasm for the Democratic or Repub~
| lican candidates or to register a sneaking pro-
test by supporting the Socialists. Otherwise,
he could go fishing.
1t was believed for some time that Frank
lin D. Roosevelt would bring to an end this ut
terly illogical political lineup in America. He
spoke much about the forgotten man" during
his candidacy for the nomination and thus
aroused the ire of AL Smith and other spokes-
men of property interests within the party. Dur
ing his campaign for the presidency he also
brought the forgotten man into the picture,
though with somewhat greater reserve.
A great deal of the talk for public consump-
ton during the early stages of the New Deal was
also designed to give the impression that the
Democratic party, under Mr. Roosevelt, was on
! the eve of a great transformation which would
make it the party of the American underdog in
his effort to achieve life of decency and Sc
curity.
| THEN came the year of decisive sabotage of
Il the New Deal by American business and
finance. Mr.. Roosevelt and the Democratic party
were faced quite definitely with two alternatives
They could frankly accept the challenge and
reconstruct the Democratic party in such fashion
as to appeal to liberals and radicals from Sena-
tors La Toilette and Norris to Norman Thomas
Or they could back water and make play for
conservative support. 1t became a question of
either frankly eSpousing the forgotten man and
having the Government run the economic show
or else turning right in an effort to entice big
! business, absentee owners and property interests
1t now begins to look as though the Roose-
vet strategy is to accept the latter alternative.
called attention the other day to John T. Flynn's
argument that if big business in this country is
smart it will line up quickly and decsively be-
hind Roosevelt. The press tells us with some
tone of authority that the President intends to
rely upon the advice of conservative Democrats
during the coming session of Congress, and his
spokesman have of late been doing everything in
their power to mollify business.
There is a considerable amount of logic in this
procedure. The Roosevelt reforms at the out
side only embrace the minimum believed neces-
sary to save capitalism If there is any hope for
the profit system in this country. it must be
saved by the policies which Mr.. Roosevelt has
espoused.
TIME Republican party can hardly make any
Il appeal to rational business man capable Of
forgetting his congenital fears and prejudices
The elections of 1882 and 1884 have shown that
no party make any great appeal to the
masses by going to the right of Roosevelt
Neither can it make any logical appeal TO in
telligent business by so doing.
1t is, perhaps, not illogical to hope that Roose-
welt will turn still further to the right and make
the Democratic party the champion of property
interests 1t would give property a party with
life, power and a colorful leader and would in
troduce some realism into American party align
ments 1t is fairly certain that he will
never go far enough to the left to make the
party the protagonist of the forgotten man."
1t is not necessary here to assume that a large
radical American party is necessarily better than
a conservative party. But representative gov
eminent ought to give the forgotten men of the
United States logical chance to register their
opinions and protests