Evening star., 1935-06-02
|G. O.P. IS INVOLVED
IN COALITION MOVE.
Conference of Republican
Senators Is Linked to
Development.

rhe coalition party movement is not
being confined to Democrats, 1t became
known yesterday with the disclosure
Of q recent secret conference of Re-
publican Senators held for the same
purpose.
The members of the Republican
group, which included David A. Reed
former Senator from Pennsylvania, sat
down to dinner with the subject here
last Thursday night. At the same
time. william r. Pattangall, chief
justice of Maine and Democrat of 80
years standing. was resigning his post
to rally Jeffersonian Democrats, and
Bainbridge Colby. Secretary Of State
In the Wilson cabinet, was sounding
out Democratic leaders for an in
formal private meeting for politica.
action ito put country above party"
Both developments came in advance
OF President Roosevelt's memorable
press conference of Friday. in which
he announced his intention to take
the decision of the United States
Supreme Court for verdict Of the
people.
Republicans Attending.
At the Republican meeting, in addi-
tion to former Senator Reed, we're:
Senators Frederick Steiwer of Oregon
Arthur H. Vandenberg of Michigan
Wallace H. White Of Maine. Warren
r. Austin OF Vermont and William r
Castle. former Undersecretary of State
AlthnllOh N a0f ~
Judge Pattangall and Mr.. Colby made
plain their present intentions to con-
fer only with Democrats opposed to
the developments Of the New Deal
former Senator Reed expressed the be-
lief that the Presidents attitude pre-
sented an issue much larger than a
partisan one He saw in 1t a direct
challenge that the country was to be
asked to decide by constitutional
amendment or otherwise, what shall
be done to restore the Federal control
the President sought to exercise over
industry and agriculture.
Senator Reed said that at the meet
ing with the Republican Senators he
had outlined his views as to the pos
sibility Of coalition Of Republicans
and Democrats favoring the route to
prosperity by constitutional methods
No Dissent to View.
Such a coalition, Senator Reed said
could defeat Mr.. Roosevelt for the
presidency In 1886 and while no at
tempt was made to canvass the views
of those present at the meeting of
Republicans, there was no dissent To
this view as he had expressed it.
! All we have to do" said Senator
Reed, lis to adopt the Democratic
platform of 1882 which was a very
good platform: make the speeches
which Mr.. Roosevelt made in 1882 and
ado the sentence: We mean this"
While insisting that he had no de-
sire to lead a New Deal movement
Senator Reed was greatly interested
in the resignation of Judge Pattaneal
for the purpose of aligning constitu-
tional Democrats and Mr.. Colby's
proposal for a Southern meeting oi
anti-New Deal Democrats He said
: We should have coalition party
( in which all who enter will be upon
an equal footing. There should be nc
preferred stock, no advantage because
one was formerly a Democrat or q
| Republican. A candidate should be
selected who is not 'shopworn.' There
are many men who are sound enough
but they have been before the people
! too long. I am one of them. We
should not select a man who in any
! l. I'D Ua chnnlld haUE
| a man who would rather get licked
| than straddle to get votes. Dwight
Morrow was a good example Of the
type of man I mean"
Middle of Road G. o. p.
The members of the group Of Re.
publicans who conferred with former
Senator Reed represent a middle of.
the road group who might form thu
basis of a movement from within Re.
publican ranks which would 60 hal
way in a coalition movement. Thi
cannot perhaps be said of the organi
zation of Northeastern Republican!
as now controlled by Charles H. Hille
and the Republican National Com
mittee, who would not relish the pros
pect Of scrapping the Republican NAM
for q new party alignment.
On the other hand, it would not b
Mr.. Colby's first novel political ven
ture. He was leader in the forma
ton Of the Progressive party unde
Theodore Roosevelt in 1912, after hav
ing had charge of the contests TO
the seating OF Roosevelt delegates il
the Republican national convention
Of that year. In 1916 it was he VIII
put Mr.. Roosevelt in nomination il
the Progressive national convention
at Chicago.
lCopyrikht. 1895. BY New York Herald