Evening star., 1935-05-01
The Boston Conference.

opens the new q. o. 2. drive 10 snake
the country loose from the New Deal,
bureaucracy and debt. More than a
thousand party workers from the six
New England States gathered to dis
cuss the conditions which confront the
country. The speakers placed per-
sonal responsibility on President
Roosevelt for the acts of the present
administration. The New Deal was
characterized as "grotesque economic
folly"
No attempt was made to write
party platform at the conference, the
first Of Q series Of regional party gath
erings Its chief purpose was to stir
Republicans and Republican party
workers to activity and to center the
fire on the Roosevelt administration.
Not all Of the speakers were from New
England. Representative Christian
son Of Minnesota, former Governor
Of that State. and sometimes men
toned as a possible Republican can
didate for President next year, was
principal speaker at the dinner
which topped of the days confer
ences. Col. Theodore Roosevelt, pres
ident of the National Republican Club,
was another outlander to address the
New England Republicans. Col. Roose-
velt did not hesitate to say plainly
and unequivocally that the Democrats
intend to buy" the coming elec-
ton through the use of the relief
funds which have recently been pro-
vided in the administration work-re-
lief bill.
New England. which was stanchly
Republican during many years, has
more recently become favorite hunt
ing ground for the Democrats. Massa-
chusetts boasts Democratic Governor
and two Democratic Senators today.
Connecticut does the same. Rhode
Island and New Hampshire each has
Democratic Senator, and the former
Democratic Governor. Maine has
Democratic Governor, although its
Senators are still Republicans. Ver-
mont alone retains its Republicanism
unadulterated. In the campaign next
year the G. o. P. is planning to re-
gain control in these New England
States. They see in the cotton textile
situation that has forced the closing
Of many mills and loss of jobs to thou
sands Of workers. real issue against
the New Deal with its processing taxes.
The Republicans face, however, a
situation in New England that is
similar to those in other sections. The
men and women who are out of work
are receiving "relief" from the hands
of the Democrats. The Democrats are
not slow to say to these people that
II they wish to continue to receive
relief they should continue the Demo-
Gratis in power. The same thing oc-
cured In the campaign Of 1884, when
even Pennsylvania turned Democratic.
1t Is against such odds that the
Republicans must fight. The speak
ers at the Boston conference laid
emphasis on the need Of retrench-
ment Of Government expenses, which
may be expanded by the Democrats
into an argument against the relief
benefits now being paid to so many
millions of destitute workers, to
farmers who do not plant crops and
to others. Against this huge expendi-
ture the Republicans urge the need
for decentralization of government
to protect the liberties of the States
and Of their people; they urge the
need Of balanced budget and the
wisdom of breaking up a huge bu-
reaucracy that is growing greater day
by day and living of the industry of
the rest Of the people.
The regional conferences of the
Republicans may do much to stir
public opinion. They offer q forum
much wider than single State meet
ing and at the same time give oppor-
tunity for the discussion Of problems
that intimately affect the people of
each region as distinct from the prob
lens Of other sections of the country.
For the conferences to undertake,
however, to adopt resolutions contain
ing platform pledges would be both
unwise and beyond the legal scope
of such gatherings. A party plat
form is a national document, written
only in national committee. And,
after all, it Is too early to write such
Q platform.