The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1935-06-20
Issue Drawn for 1896

Issue Drawn for 1896 .
Washington is never easy or
simple to attempt TO forecast of the
reactions of a nation as large as
ours. There are so many cross
currents, so many local influences
and factors at work that the popu-
lar reaction sometimes, usually in
fact, is slow in crystallizing. Thus 1t
appears safe to say at this writing
that the administrations future
course on MIRA and other New
Deal policies concerning which
there is constitutional doubt neces-
sarily must provide a basis for the
1885 campaign.
Yet, certainly it can surely be
said that the issue is now drawn
and that the battle next year will
go between radicals and conserva-
tives; between those who favor con-
stitutional government and those
yond the considerations laid down
by the founding fathers, and be-
tween those who regard American
traditions and practices as worth
defending and an opposition consti-
futed wholly of those who desire
to remake our modes of living.
In these days of swiftly changing
conditions In Washington, one can
observe certain outcroppings in the
numerous controversies and the
wild confusion, and these point def
initely In one direction. They tndi-
cate the breakup, the disintegration
of the old political parties. 1t Is too
early to predict whether our two
party system will continue even
under the names of Democratic and
Republican. Certainly If those two
names continue they will shield un-
der their banners eventually an en-
tirely different party leadership and
party personnel.
Proof of this contention lies In
the numerous statements, sugges-
tons and trial balloons that have
Goated about all serving as feelers
I'm the direction of q coalition among
opposition to the New Deal. It is
to be noted that among those who
have put out feelers about coali-
ton have been some very we'll
known names, both among Demo-
Gratis and Republicans. These moves
probably will not develop ihto Inn
portant activities but they consti-
tute straws showing which way the
wind blows
All Of the above is by way of
saying that Mr.. Roosevelt as the
head and forefront Of the New Deal
Is at the parting of the ways. Soon,
he y,o,Ycf n1,arco vny,o&y.a~, ha .rv31Y
align himself definitely and COM
pletely with the radical element as
typified by the Tugwells, the Rich
bergs, the Wheelers and La Fol-
lettes or whether he will turn to the
philosophers of the old-line-Jef-
fersonian Democrats, most Of whom
come from what used to be the Solid
South insofar as Democratic voters
we're concerned. He must make this
choice because it is no longer pos
sible for him to ride two horses sue
ceSsful as he was in the early days
of his administratio In keeping the
two wings of his party together.
When he has made that choice, at
that same time begins the develop
ment of new political party align
ment In the United States. These
conclusions are the conclusions of
the most astute politicians and OBJ
servers in Washington.
OBJECTIONS Increase
The question may be asked:
What has brought about these new
conditions so suddenly? The answer
may not be as apparent as 1t seems
Offhand, one would say that the
sudden halt of the New Deal pro-
gram that was accomplished thru
the MIRA decision by the Supreme
court of the United States had ac-
tually amounted to a major opera
ton. This is only partially true
The Supreme court decision while
blocking further expansion Of the
New Deal in the direction In which
1T was tending simply provided a
focal point around which the mael-
strom centers. In other words, thru
all the months since the New Deal
came into power OBJECTIONS have
been increasing. The opposition,
growing in strength, at last has
been given an anchor. The cumu-
lative character of the opposition
sS&3o Vic olooClkolOA ttllu SllSSS1LlSldE.
ton has made it possible for a
single incident such as the Supreme
court decision to provide what poll
ticians call an issue.
IF the Supreme Court ruling had
not been sufficient to accomplish
this purpose, Mr.. Roosevelt per-
sonally provided the necessary adj
dtttOna1 momentum. When he spoke
in his now famous press conference
about the court decision having the
effect of pushing American social
life back to "horse and buggy
days he set up at one and the same
time circumstance that nodded
his own supporters in one group
and the opposition concretely in an
other.
So avidly did the opposition seize
upon Mr.. Roosevelt's statement that
many newspapers Of influence in
the country construed 1t as a chal-
lenge to the Supreme Court. Obyi-
cusly the President, occupying a
co-equal status with the Supreme
Court in our form of government.
had no intention of issuing a chaI-
1enge to the Supreme Court In the
ordinary sense of the word. What
he intended was to explain to the
country that the time had come for
the nation to consider its future
course. the 0I1eSfi0Y1 no Y,roro,,,,r,e<,