The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1935-04-23
c. D. P. LEADERS
SHY At KANSAS
FARLEY PLAN
BY GEORGE r. HOLMES
International News Service


The KansaS-born idea Of stag
ing a series Of Republican regional
conferences to whip up party
spirit and otherwise prepare for
the presidential campaign Of 1896
has received the public endorse
ment Of leading party figures
but it now appears doubtful if
these projected meetings get
much further than the converse
tional stage.
Republican leaders in Congress
are privately throwing cold water
on the idea.
A canvass Of Republican senti-
ment, as represented in Congress,
revealed today that most of the
leaders believe it is too early to
start framing a party platform,
with the New Deal still twisting
and turning, and they fear, fur
thermore, that such a series Of
meetings at this time would be
liable to disclose more Republican
Schism than Republican unity.
Fletcher Favors It
National Chairman Henry P.
Fletcher is in favor of the con-
ferences, which Immediately
makes them suspect in the eyes
Of such Republicans as Senator
Borah of Idaho and Senator Nye
Of North Dakota, who opposed
Mr.. F1etcher's election. Senator
Borah was at first inclined to at
tend the meeting projected for
Kansas City next month, but
checked out" when he learned
there was to be no discussion of a
new organization Setup.
The Republicans appear about
as badly divided as the New Deal
erS themselves, the split being
along the usual conservative and
liberal lines.
Mr.. Fletcher and his wing,
which includes Col. Theodore
Roosevelt, jr., are all for shifting
the New Deal hip and thigh, con-
demning it and all its alphabetical
works.
But the considerable number Of
Republicans in Congress who have
voted for parts of the New Deal
laws want none of that. They
don't relish the idea Of apologize
ing for their votes. This is true
Of the entire Republican member
ship of the House and the Is Re-
publican Senators who are up for
reelection next year.
Counsel Caution
The result is that the informal
conferences going on intermit-
tently between Republicans here
for the past 10 days have failed
to develop any distinct party
policy with respect to the New
Deal. The Fletcher Roosevelt
wing want to hit it straight from
the shoulder, but the predominant
Republican sentiment in Congress
is counseling caution-at least for
the time being.
Also, the question of presiden.
tial candidates. is involved to some
extent in Republican minds as
regards these projected regional
meetings.
Eastern Republicans are sus-
picious that the Kansas-Sponsored
meeting for Kansas City next
month is the first step in a boom
for Gov. ALI Landon, of Kansas,
who was one of the few Repub-
lican Governors to weather the
Democratic landslide in Novem-
Der.
There are half dozen DO
tentlal candidates in the Senate,
and as many more in the House.
They are inclined to view with
suspicion any undue party &C.
tivity at this time which centerS
about individuals.
Views Of Leaders
Illustrative of the division and
uncertainty in a cross-section Of
the Republican mind at this time
is the comment which followed
a weekend of G. P. o. comforting
here:
Senator Dickinson (RO of
Iowa:
"The contest (next year, will,
in my judgment, be between
State economy and Federal So
cialiSm."
Senator vandenberg Of Michi-
gan "a leading potential candi-
date):
II wish we did not have to
hear Of candidates for another
IL months
Senator Capper of Kansas:
"The Republican job is to
determine how much individual
ism we can retain, how many
parts Of our national economy
must be owned in common or
controlled in common"