Evening star., 1934-05-20
NEW PARTY FORMS
WITH la TOILETTE
AS HEAD OF TICKET
Wisconsin Progressives Vote
to Split From Re-
pubIicans.
DEMOCRATS FACING
QUESTION OF COURSE
Administration Support Lacking
for Senator, Running as
Roosevelt Supporter.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

Senator Robert M. Fa Toilette of
Wisconsin is to be a candidate for
reelection to the Senate on an inde-
pendent, third-party ticket next Fall.
The La Toilette progressives, meet
ing in Fond du Lac, Wis, yesterday,
voted overwhelmingly to organize a
third party in the State. Although
Senator La Toilette had declined un-
till today to state his political plans.
it was expected he would favor the
third-party movement.
In the past the La Toilette Progress
sives. plus Democratic voters. have
been able to dominate Republican
senatorial and gubernatorial primaries
ago, when the Democrats moved over
almost en- masSe to their own party
primaries, the La Toilette Progressive
candidates suffered. The late Sena
tor John j. Blaine was defeated in
the Republican senatorial primary by
youthful Republican stalwart For
mer Gov. Philip La Toilette. brother
of the Senator. had no better luck
in the Republican primaries than did
Senator Blaine.
Decision Up to Democrats.
Senator La Toilette was faced with
the alternative this year of seeking re-
nomination in the Republican primary
or of heading new. independent Pro-
gressive party and obtaining the NOM
ination of that party for the Senate
He has chosen the latter course.
Now the Democrats will have to
make up their minds whether to play
lone hand or to 60 along with the
Progressives as they have in the past
The ProgreSSives, particularly La
Toilette. have clearly announced that
they do not propose to be stalking
horses for any more Democratic can
didates for Senator and for Governor.
The Democrats two years ago. through
the simple course Of letting the regu-
lar Republicans cut down the Pro-
gressive candidates in the Republican
primaries. were eble to elect a Sem
ator and Governor. For after the
ProgreSsives, after having been de-
feated in the primaries. went into the
general election and cast their votes
for the Democratic nominees for Gov
ernor and Senator.
The Progressives have declared a
plague on both the Democratic and
Republican Houses. They have no
particular love for the Democrats
La Toilette split with the Roosevelt
administration on number of issues.
And while it has been hinted that the
Roosevelt leaders would come forward
and support La Toilette for renomi-
nation and reelection this year, so
far nothing yet has materialized.
La Toilette Backed Roosevelt.
Such support might have been ex-
pected at the hands of the admins
tration in view of the fact that Sen
ator La Toilette came out openly in
the last presidential campaign for
Roosevelt, as did Senators johnson of
California. Norris of Nebraska and
Cutting of New Mexico. all Progress
sive Republicans. The administration
gave its blessing to Senator johnson.
also up for reelection, weeks ago
But it has withheld such mark of ap-
proval from La Toilette and Cutting.
Norris is not up for reelection this
year.
Many of Senator Hiram Johnson's
friends have urged that he, too. Or
eanize an independent political party
in California in order to avoid the
necessity of going into the Repubii-
can primary. Apparently. however.
Senator johnson is so strongly in
trenched that many of the so-called
regular Republicans are prepared to
go along with him in the primary
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