Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1934-05-13
G.O.P.R REVOLT THREATENS
OLD GUARD LEADERSHIP
Young Voters Fighting Old Systems
Corruptions and New Deals
Abrid cement of Freedom.

ny oOiIlc DIS IOO COIlSCL NdIlNCs
Smell is identified with the reactionary
elements of the party, Bolton. though
young and presumably liberal, is a
newcomer and as yet unproven.
In the States few Governors stand
out, though Landon of Kansas and
former Gov. La Toilette (PhiD of Wis
consin have enough followers to count
as potential influences in the party.
Gov. Wynant of New Hampshire has
great possibilities. He has acquired
an influential following throughout
the West
The National Committee, under the
leadership of Everett Sanders, has not
only failed to exercise much influence,
but its statements have shown that it
is hopelessly identified with the Old
Guard elements.
Among the outsiders Col. Frank
Knox stands out prominently; Col.
Theodore Roosevelt, former Governor
General of the Philippine Islands, is
active in enlisting the interest of new
voters and the heads Of the young
Republican clubs throughout the
country are increasingly influential.
Youths Becoming Active.
One Of the encouraging signs of the
times is the rapid spread of the Young
Republican Club movement during the
last year In Massachusetts, New
Jersey, California, Michigan, New
York and other States the young Re-
publican clubs have risen to positions
Of influence. New Jersey, for exam
Pile, now has branches Of its Young
Republican Club organized in 16 out
of 81 congressional districts and has
total membership of nearly 10000.
In New York more than $50 Young
Republican Clubs have been organ
lied in At out of SO counties and are
doing much to enlist the interest Of
the younger voters in active political
work. Other organizations which
have as their purpose to enlist the in
terest of the younger elements in
practical politics have been springing
up throughout the country during the
last three or four months. This is a
sign of vitality.
Unfortunately, however, the old
leaders, whether conservatives or rad
icals. are largely Indifferent to these
new movements, except in so far as
they can control them at the polls
1t is regrettable that so many of the
younger people interested in them,
when faced with opposition or indif-
ference on the part of the machine
leaders, content themselves with de-
| nunciation instead of resorting to
more active efforts to obtain control
themselves. These people will doubt
U
success of Chase Mellen, jr, his
friends and hackers, in overthrowing
the long intrenched Sam Koenig as
chairman of the New York County
Committee. What Mellen and his
friends have done in Tammany-
infested New York other young Re-
publicans can surely do as well in
other cities and States.
Struggle Against Extremists.
The need is not alone for leaders,
but also for a Qualification and re-
statement Of issues. Within the party
itself, of course, the struggle is against
| the extremists. The voters are dis
contente6 alike with the reactionaries
| and the extreme radicals. But this
does not preclude the meeting of the
more conservative WeSterners and the
more liberal Fasteners on a common
| ground. Although a great gulf sep
arates the Millses and the Wads-
worthS from the Norrises and Cut
tings. there is less distance between
the views of Wynant or a Theodore
Roosevelt and a Borah or a Phil La
Toilette.
Outside the party-between Repub-
licans and Democrats-the issues are
becoming clearer. In the first place
there is the fight against paternalism
and RECOMMENDATION. The voters know
that the denials of the Tugwells,
Berries, Moleys and other brain trust
ers, that RECOMMENDATION is in the
ofting are contradicted by the facts.
They are told that the Government
does not dream of interfering in busi-
ness, and then they read Of a poor
little Immigrant tailor in Jersey City
fined and imprisoned for pressing a
suit for IS cents instead Of 40 cents.
In the second place, there is the
necessity of fighting the false eco
nonic doctrines propagated by well
meaning but ignorant professors and
supported by more astute politicians
and radio broadcasterS for their own
selfish reasons. The payment of a
bonus for restricting production. for
example, is basically unsound and
merely ntensifieS the crisis which it
Is designed TO cure. The way out of
the present depression lies in cheap
ening production and distribution, not
In restricting output and raising prices.
Would Lower Living Standard.
The policy of economic nationalism.
supported by so many factors among
the Democrats, would necessarily re-
suit in lowering of the Nations
standards Of living. What the newer
Republican element would like to see
Is higher standards of living through
more equitable distribution Of
pronts. T 1t they do not believe that
the government owes any man or
class a grant except for services per-
formed. They are opposed to tam
perlng With the currency. They favor
the restoration of the gold standard.
AS much as the most ardent new
dealers, the advocates of the newer
republicanism are determined that
|
wealth and by crooked politicians of
all parties must be curbed. But they
refuse to accept the theory that be-
cause there have been abuses under
the old system the entire system must
be scrapped. Rather do they believe
In Fighting what is wrong.
In the realm of agriculture they
believe that the control of agricul-
tural production should be sought
through development of the Cooper
alive spirit and of cooperate organ
izationS. They believe that this
should be done through education
rather than through compulsion en-
forced from Washington.
In the realm of industry they rec
ognize that the army of the perma-
nently unemployed is likely to con-
tinue to be very large and that this
can not be effectively dealt with by
the present haphazard systems of de-
vising work (so-called). They believe
that the country must face this prob