Evening star., 1934-08-23

Continued From First Page)
vacation of two weeks on Cape Cod.
After his return he will get down to
the work of building up the organiza-
ton throughout the country.
Democratic and Republican national
headquarters had no comment to
make on the new league today. AS
the leaders of the Republican National
Committee have very definitely taken
the position that the Roosevelt new
deal is antagonistic to the Constitu-
ton and American institutions, it is
clear that they are pleased over the
launching of the league
No Farley Men" Present
Despite the fact that both Demo-
Gratis and Republicans are included
In the membership of Executive Com
mittee of the league, it was pointed
out In some quarters that none of the
Jim" Farley's or strong Roosevelt
supporters were on the list. Indeed,
the Democratic members of the COM
mittee so far announced were strongly
opposed to the nomination of PreSi-
dent Roosevelt in 1882, and Mr.. |
Shouse was regarded as a leader in |
the stop Roosevelt" movement at the |
Chicago convention. Furthermore. it |
was said, that if the league were not |
opposed to the new deal, there is no |
discernible reason why it should ever |
have been launched.
Representative Wadsworth, one of |
the Republican members of the Exec
utive Committee, was not in Washing
ton today. He is at his home in |
Genesee, N. Y, it was said at his Office. |
Mr.. Wadswcrth has been an outspoken |
critic Of the new deal during the |
present Congress.
Few members of Congress are at |
present In Washington. Among those !
who would comment today upon the |
new league were two Democratic Sen |
ators. Thomas of Oklahoma and |
Fletcher of Florida. The first, Sen |
ator Thomas, characterized the big !
six of the new league as "diehards" |
and "standpatters" who have been op- |
posed to the new deal from its start |
He said that ultimately the league |
would assail the new deal and would |
have nothing to offer in its place.
Sees No Need for 1t.
Senator Fletcher's comment was:
II don't know what's behind the |
American Liberty League. I guess it's
all right as far as it goes, but don't |
see any need for it,
What the new dealers in the ad- !
ministration will say about the league
remains to be seen. However, the
statement by Senator Thomas is an
indication that they will not take
kindly to the league and its purposes.
Mr.. Shouse has said that the league
was not "anti-R Roosevelt" or anti
anything else; that it was designed
to be constructive force. 1t is in
tended, he said, to be a forum and
force before Congress for those who
wish to guard their personal and
property rights.
Representative Clarence F. Lea of
California. chairman of the Demo-
cratic caucus of the House, today said
he thought the league could perform
a worthwhile function by affording
an opportunity for consideration of
public questions. If, on the other
hand, there was any intention on the
part Of the founders of the league
to make. it new political party, Mr..
Lea said there was no opportunity
and no need for it. He said:
Il think on the whole that there
Is worthwhile function to be per-
formed by discussion on public mat
ters and careful consideration by |
leaders Of public thought. OF course,
the purpose is the development of the
more correct viewpoint.
Questions of Ins and Outs.
ST do not believe, however, that
there is any practical opportunity for
O third party. The tendency is strong /
toward development of two major |
political organizations. After all, the |
purely political phase is that the coun-
try stands between the ins and the
outs. The ins have the prestige of |
action on public questions while the |
diScontented minority swing toward
the opposition, so that the tendency
is to make two important political |
organizations.
While temporarily there may be |
deviationS on some particular issue the |
power that the ins have over legisla- |
tion gives them such prestige that |
a divided opposition must be ineffec- |
tive.
For that reason the effort naturally
Is toward consolidation of the opposi- |
I tion. All a third party can do is to
stir up the water"
Mr.. Lea obviously was answering |
the suggestion made in some quarters |
that new alignment politically might |
develop from the American Liberty |
League, with the more conservative |
element leaving the Democratic or new
deal party. What political effect the |
set-up of the league will have it is |
too early really to estimate If the |
league really grows to the proportions |
hoped for it by its sponsors, however, |
1t will be bound to have influence, and |
influence is readily translated into DO |
litical power. 1t may bring about |
drastic changes in the party lines of !
old.
If it should take men like Smith |
and Davis and Glass and Byrd of Vir-
Rinia away from support of the Roose-
welt Democratic party, it may also !
have the effect of placing in that par
ty men like Norris of Nebraska, John |
son of California and Cutting of New
Mexico.
Silent on Agencies.
At present the spokesmen for the
new league have made no direct state
ment as to its attitude toward the
alphabetical agencies of the new deal,
SPECIAL NOTICES.