Montgomery County sentinel., 1935-02-28

sition are appearing In the political
picture. They are
Third Party becoming clear
Runnblin9s enough to deserve
attention. What they
may mean In the ultimate can be made
only the subject of a guess-politics
being what they are-but interesting
circumstances can be noted as of this
day and time.
Third party rumblings are beginning
to be heard along the whole political
front. This is noteworthy because
third party rumblings usually are con-
fined to few sectors, some important,
some unimpOrtant. The insurgents,
radicals. progressives. and independ-
ents all seem to be examining the po-
litical horizons of 1896. Roughly,
those factions enumerated have been
classified as the 'sons Of the wild jack
ass" an appellat1on given them by
George 81. Moses of New Hampshire,
when he was filling Republican seat
In the United States senate. The fact
that they remain and that Mr.. Moses
has passed out Of the political picture
Is not the point. It was his descrip-
tion of them that gave the country its
first grouping Of the political factions
that have consistently kicked over the
traces Of the major political parties.
The fact that these various groups
are again examining the potentialities
and the possibilities Of 1896 brings d.
rectly into question the progress made
by the New Deal In it's program of
reformation or revolution, depending
on the political perspective from
which you consider the New Deal
1t is two years since President
Roosevelt carried his New Deal into
the White House. Much water has
gone over the dam since. Many ex-
periments have been tried and many
have failed. Doubtless considerable
progress Of a satisfactory form has re-
suited. Yet, the "sons of the wild
jackass" are not satisfied. It may
be because Mr.. Roosevelt has ceased
to pull so many white rabbits out of a
hat after the fashion of a magician,
| that has caused unaffiliated factions
so much disturbance. Or 1t may be
because the Republicans, as the op-
position party at present, have been
utterly stymied In their efforts to per-
form opposition functions that have
proved the temptation for the so-called
left wingers to capitalize whatever
political opportunities remain for ex-
ploitation.
/ ] think It Is the general conclusion
that the New Deal has not come up to
expectations Of the left wingers. Per-
haps, 1t might be said that nothing
that the New Dealers can offer will be
quite satisfactory to the left wingers,
for they are difficult to satisfy. Their
fertile minds are even more produc-
tive Of experimental ideas than are
the minds even of the brain trusters,
and no one has ever said brain trust
mind was not fertile. At any rate, the
circumstance is cut and dried and an
abundance Of material for third
party awaits us by that type Of politi-
clan.
Observers here agree that one can
not consider the outlook for 1896, and
the national elections of that time,
without considering the influence that
these left wingers may WELD. be-
lieve It is conceded everywhere that
II Mr.. Roosevelt succeeds in leading
the country through to higher level
Of prosperity than now graces our for
tunes the Republican chances to de-
feat him are very. very low. II, on
the other hand, conditions continue as
they now are. Mr.. Roosevelt certainly
is going to have to battle this progress
sive set-up-to adopt one label for all
Of them-as well as the conservative
group centering largely in the Repub-
licans From this It becomes plain
that third party probably would
draw away from Mr.. Roosevelt all Of
those radicals and liberals who would
90 beyond his policies. while the Re-
publicans obviously will hold their
own conservative strength and sap the
Roosevelt forces to some extent by
taking conservative independents from
that side. All in all, II the third party
idea comes through. we can look for a
fine political scramble from July to
November Of the 1885 campaign.
The progressives including such men
as LaFollette Of Wisconsin, Norris OF
Nebraska and
Need Hero Wheeler Of Montana,
Leader to name only three,
seem to feel that the
New Deal program has about jelied.
They know, as all political observers
know, that there are good many hun.
dred thousand votes scattered around
waiting to be cast in favor Of pro.
gram much more radical than that tc
which Mr.. Roosevelt has been willing
to agree, But the progressives have
a distinct problem Of their own. 1t Il
an entire absence Of an outstanding
leader of the hero type who can sound
the trumpet and call for the progres
sives TO "follow me-" My inquiries
among all veins Of political opinion
have given me no clue to the name Of
| a.. L.. ~ n.