Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1934-12-04
Couzens Asks RebeIlious
Senator to Suggest
New Platform.
FLETCHER DECLINES
TO QUIT GUARDIANSHIP
Michigan Leader Says Concrete
Policies Must Be Presented by
Opponents of New Deal.


Senator Borah, who demanded re-
organization of the Republican party,
received a challenge today from Sem
ator Couzens, Republican, of Michi-
gan to take the Craftsmanship and
suggest a new platform.
He said Borah, like Senator Reed
of Pennsylvania, campaigned against
aspects of the New Deal, but neither
one was successful because they Of
fered no substitutes for the programs
they criticized"
The Michigan Senator's entry into
the party controversy came shortly
after Henry P. Fletcher, chairman OF
the Republican National Committee,
had fatty declined to resign at
Rorahs request.
To step out at this time, Fletcher
said, would plunge the party organl-
zation into confusion" He pointed
out the machinery by which, he said,
the party could obtain new leader
ship if it wanted.
Fish Takes Issue.
Representative Fish, Republican, of
New York also took issue with Borah.
saving that while the party should
"liberalize and humanize" its policies.
Fletcher should not be called upon TO
resign provided he is willing to go
along in favor of liberal policies"
Couzens' statement, coming from
one who has frequently voted with
the party's Western independent wing,
where demands for reorganization are
now arising, caused some surprise.
Il suggest" he said, that those
who are supporting Mr.. Borah's pro-
posal that MIR. Fletcher resign offer
Mr.. Borah the Craftsmanship OF the
Republican National COMMITTEE.
Il am just as anxious as Mr.. RooSe-
welt is to have the country recover,
but / do not intend to assume de-
structive attitude, whether l be
Borah Republican or Fletcher Re-
publican or neither of these things.
Certain prominent Republican
Senators have been carrying on dev-
astating campaigns, or at least they
have been trying to make them de-
vastating, against certain agencies OF
the New Deal. Borah did it in Idaho
and Senator Reed in Pennsylvania and
I can't see much difference between
the two.
Offered No Substitute"
although these campaigns were
made by two outstanding Senators
whom the public regards as repre-
senting different factions in the Re-
publican party, neither one was sue
cessful because they offered no substl-
tutes for the programs they criticized.
I'VE all admit that some of Mr..
Roosevelt's experiments have not
worked. Mr.. Roosevelt, himself, per-
haps would admit that. 1 do not
think even Borah and Reed would
take the position that nothing should
be done by the Government. And so
I invite them, and especially Senator
Borah, to suggest a platform for what
he believes would be an ideal Republic
can party.
Il am not at all interested in the
ambitions of any political leaders or
political Office holders. I am inter-
ested in policies and then the selection
of men to carry them out.
Neither the Republican party nor
any other party can draft a platform
that will in any sense meet the situa-
ton as it exists today without knowing
whether it is in harmony with, or in
opposition to, Mr.. Roosevelt's legisla-
tive program for the Seventy-fourth
Congress.
The idea of formulating an oppo-
sition party without knowing what it
is to oppose is preposterous.
Fletcher's Suggestion.
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