The Washington times., 1934-12-05

there is going to be any rec
party-at least for the time b
Senator William E. Borah, the
Idaho lone wolf who inSurges be-
tween Presidential elections, but
always votes regular, wants Henry
P. Fletcher to retire as national
chairman and thus pave the way
for Liberal" reorganization and
leadership of the party.
Chairman Fletcher has no inten.
ton of reSigning. To do so at
this time, he said, would plunge
the party organization into contu-
sion" Mr.. Fletcher plans to stay
at the helm, probably until the.
next national convention, unless
Senator Borah can find support
enough to force his resignation.
There is believed to be scant
chance of that.
BOrah Lacks Backing
Senate Progressives who are in
clined to sympathize with Mr..
Borah's general idea of party
realignment are nevertheless hest
tant to follow the 1dahoan. They
say privately that Mr.. Borah starts
too many fights and finishes too
few.
Injection of personal feelings
into the situation has only served
to complicate matters.
Senator Borah and Senator Cou-
Zens (R) of Michigan, who used
to be close friends-so close that
in 1924 Mr.. CouzenS, the Senate's s
richest man, offered to finance
Mr.. Borah's candidacy for the
Presidency against Calvin Cool
idge-have had a spectacular fall
ing out.
Senators in Spat
In reply to Mr.. Borah's demand
for party reorganization, Senator
Couzens rather impishly proposed
that Senator Borah himself take
over the party Craftsmanship and
write the platform. Senator Cou-
zens asked:
"WhO is Senator BOrah to
shout liberalism? He never
voted in his life for liberal for
President"
Senator Couzens' reference was
to the fact that Senator Borah
supported William H. Taft against
at. r." in 1912, supported Mr..
Hughes in 1916, Mr.. Coolidge in
1924 and Mr.. Hoover in 1923 and
1882.
When informed of Senator Cou-
Zens' statement, Senator Borah de-
clared:
IF he wants a platform, I'll
give him one. I'll give him a
platform headed by a plank to
tax tax-exempt securities"
This was a thrust at Senator
Couzens' personal fortune, esti-
mated to be around 80 million
dollars, and reported to be largely
invested in tax-exempt securities.
Leaders Mum
Senator Couzens retorted that
he would vote to put a tax on
this type of securities anytime
Senator Borah offered such a bill
in the Senate. His position has
been that so long as tax-exempt
securities exist, there is no reason
why he should not invest his
money in them.
Other Senate Republican have
nothing to Say-publicly.
Senator McNary, the Republi-
can leader of the Senate, returned
to the Capital from Oregon, mum
as an oyster about the party
future as was Senator Vanden-
berg (RD of Michigan.
Stilled By Circumstance
Senator Hiram Johnson of Cali
fornia, militantly Progressive, is
hardly in a position to take any
part in the Republican row. He
supported Mr.. Roosevelt in 1882,
supported most of the New Deal
legislation and was the Democratic
nominee for the Senate last
month, as we'll as the Republican.
Senator La Toilette of Wiscon-
sin abandoned the Republican
party in the November election,
and was reelected under the Pro-
gresSive label. His voice is likewise
Stilled by circumstance.
1t became known today Senator
McNary is going to invite Mr. La
Toilette md Senator Shipstead. re,
elected as Farmer-Laborite from
Minnesota. into Republican con
ferences during the approaching
session. Whether they will accept
Is another matter.
Meanwhile, the Re p ublican
party situation, so far as the
Seventy-fourth Congress is con
cerned, is extremely chaotic. AnC
there is little cohesion in sight.