Evening star., 1934-12-14
The Issue ?

Solemn warning to the Republicans
that the G. o. P. cannot stage a
comeback If it continues to wear
conservative guise was issued by Sen
ators Borah and Nye last night
The opportunity and the need of
rebuilding the party along liberal
lines are at hand, they insisted. The
need Is here because the Democrats
are really playing into the hands of
big business and monopoly, both Sen
ators contended. Both have been fore
most opponents of the N. R. A., as
administered, declaring that it has
merely fostered monopoly. Senator
Nye frankly asserted his lack of faith
In the Democratic party. 1T seems to
me-" said the Senator from North
Dakota, that we waste much time
when we contemplate future for
progressivism in the Democratic
party"
Here Is a heresy indeed. The New
Dealers probably will laugh at the
suggestion that the Democratic party
will fall back into the clutches of
the conservatives. And yet Mr.. Nye
contended: THE facts are that the
Democratic party of today is reflect
ing, not Democratic policy, but the
policy of a leadership which came
into being two years ago." That, he
said, is the leadership of President
Roosevelt, and the policies which it
reflects have as their most severe
critics Democrats, "the very Demo-
Gratis who shall be again assuming
leadership Of the Democratic party
when its present leadership is gone
from the White House"
While praising President Roosevelt
for the battle he has waged since he
came into Office, Senator Borah in
sisted that the New Deal laws had in
very truth played into the hands of
big business. He backed up his as
sertion, declaring that a half million
more men and women are out Of en-
ployment this year than last; that
500 corporations, enjoying monopo-
listic power. the power to fix prices"
have made net gains in excess of 900
per cent, and that million-dollar in
comes of individuals are increasing
while the smaller incomes are de-
creasing.
The burden Of the contention Of
Senator Borah and of Senator Nye
was that the G. o. P. must stand for
o greater distribution of wealth,
which is pretty much the same thing
as saying that monopolies must go.
This, they contend, is the real op-
portunity Of the G. o. P. to make a
clear-cut issue. For, they insist, the
Democrats have failed to accomplish
this result. On the contrary, they
say, the Democrats have brought
about a situation that really plays
into the hands Of bigger business and
monopolies.
Perhaps they have in mind the
thought that business must go back
into the hands of many business men.
through free competition again, or
eventually, when all business has been
concentrated into a few great mo-
nopolies the Government will step in
and take them over Indeed, it OBJ
viously would be easier for the Gov
eminent so to place final controlling
and proprietary grasp on industry if
industry were so organized, rather
than divided widely into millions of
units. The suspicion has lodged in
some places that several of the New
Dealers do not look so much askance
at the greater concentration of busi-
ness, monopoly and price fixing, be-
cause they vision the day when the
Government will be called upon to
step in and take over all industry.
Mr.. Borah and Mr.. Nye see no
opportunity for real attack on
monopoly and monopolistic tenden-
cies in the conservative leadership
Of the Republican party. Nor do they
believe that the people will ever turn
again to the Republican party as long
ss the old conservative leaders remain
In control. And yet, they insist, the
chance for rebirth and rehabilitation
Of the party is at hand if it will
firmly grasp the anti-monopoly issue.