Evening star., 1934-10-07

They merely resent the changes with
a stubborn resistance. They cling
tenaciously to the control of the RE
publican machine and refuse to pre-
pare new men for party leadership.
Many Of the figures still dominant in
the Republican party today were
classed as reactionaries 20 or 80 years
ago. They cannot realize the extent
to which they now are discredited.
The very fact that they are convinced
that the old American system is sure
to triumph-which it will in time
makes them even more unyieldlng In
their relations with reluctant and dis
satisfied voters.
New Groups Organized.
In protest against this unyielding
attitude on the part OF so many OF
the "old guard" leaders, numerous new
groups have been organized. drawing
strength from the Republican ranks.
OF these, the best known are the Pro-
gressives in Wisconsin, who, while In
some respects more radical than the
New Dealers, represent primarily a
protest against the Republican machine
in that State. In New York the
strength of the young Republican
movement is largely due to the young
mems dissatisfaction with the "old
guard" leadership. Other organlza-
tions. like the Republican Builders,
also have come into being in response
to the widespread feeling among the
voters that the old machine leader
ship is uninspiring, If not actually
blind.
Countless men and women have
feeling of resentment against the party
machine. This is one of the reasons
why the New Deal has been so success
full. The New Deal offered something
novel. 1t made its appeal above party
lines. It promised many of the things
which people hoped for. Coupled with
the great personal charm and engag-
ing optimism of Franklin D. Roose-
welt, the program was virtually ire
sistible. The fact that much OF the
New Deal was hurried into legislation
without adequate thought as to where
it might lead seems to have added to
rather than to have detracted from its
charm. Only few "carping" Repub-
licans and an occasional sturdy DEM
ocrat like Carter Glass have pointed
out the inherent contradictions in the
Roosevelt program.
Roosevelt Astute Politician.
When critics have quoted Franklin
Roosevelt against himSelf-Roosevelt
the campaigner against Roosevelt the
President-the public has remained
Indifferent to the basic contradictions
in the man himself. So, for ex-
ample. when Herbert Hoover, during
the 1882 campaign, limited that
America might have to go off the
gold standard, Roosevelt the candi-
date attacked him in the bitterest
terms. He charged President Hoover
with "libeling" the credit Of the
United States. Within six weeks after
succeeding Mr.. Hoover, Mr.. Roosevelt
himself took the country of gold.
When the honest and alarmed Mr..
Hoover had warned that the gold
standard was in danger he was vio-
lently denounced When Mr.. Roose-
velt abandoned the gold standard he
was loudly praised.
The Republicans have discovered to
their sorrow that President Roosevelt
Is one of the most astute politicians
in our history. This is one of the
reasons why he succeeded where Mr..
Hoover failed. Mr.. Roosevelt has
managed to win the cooperation of
the country at large. He has pla-
Gated all the most important groups
the farmers, the silverites, the unions,
etc. He has handed out money by the
billions where Mr.. Hoover spent it
only by the hundreds of millions. In
fact, Mr.. Roosevelt has promised the
country everything and has done so
with such genial charm and with so
much warm self-assurance that he
has virtually silenced all effective OBJ
lection.
When a group of disgruntled citi-
Eens has gone as far as promising the
(Continued on Fourth PaRe,)