Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-12-21
THE POLITICAL
MILL
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

tremendous roar Is going up from many
Republican Threats to "liberalize" the
@. o. P. The party, 1t 10 said now, has
lost touch with the people, lost their
confidence. The way to be liberals to
be liberal. But first 1t is necessary to
define liberalism. It Is q word loosely
used. More loosely used In recent years
than ever before. It has been applied
to many plans for Government, come Of
them wise and others not 80 wise. The
New Dealers have made wide use Of the
term. No one has yet clearly defined
what a liberal Republican party should
be or should do.
The Republican members Of Congress
are IN position to set the pace toward
iberalism-provided they have 4 clear
understanding of the elements. But
they are not alone in . position to do
something about giving the party q
new-or an old-flavor. There are the
Republican members Of the State Leg
tslatures, which meet the first of the
year. There are few, very few, Repub-
lican Governors who also are 50 situated
as to be able to take the lead toward
liberalism.
The members of Congress have per-
haps the best sounding board. What
they do will be watched with the keenest
interest. They are scarcely in sufficient
number to leave much Of an impress
upon the legislation Of the coming ses-
sion-with only II Senators and SO
members of the House However, many
important measures are expected to
make their appearance in the two houses
and they will have opportunity to speak
and to vote upon them. have talked
with number OF the members, but
so far have been unable to obtain any
idea as to what their attitude will be,
except on isolated bills which may be
presented.
Take. for example, the proposed 80
hour work week, which is sponsored by
the American Federation of Labor and
other labor organizations. That is gen.
orally rated liberal measure. One Re-
publican Senator, who wished not to be
quoted at this time, insisted that such
q measure would have the result Of in
creasing the cost Of living to the people
by 33l3 per cent. He was doubtful about
the liberality Of any measure which
would have such q result. Furthermore,
he insisted. 1t is impossible now to get all
the skilled labor needed in his State
under existing conditions.
What Is to be the attitude Of the Re-
publicans when the question Of extend
ing the power of the President to deal
with the devaluation Of the dollar arises?
And what about the continuance Of
the so-called $4,000. 900 900 sterilization
fund? There are signs that a demand
will be made for some report from the
President regarding the use to which this
Sterilization fund has been put.
The Republicans in Congress say they
will have to wait until President Roose-
welt discloses his program and until the
Democratic measures are actually pre-
sented before they can outline their atti-
tude toward them. That seems reason
able enough. On the other hand, some
Of the Republicans are bent upon stirring
legislation OF their own devising. One Of
these measures will be, they say, an anti
lynching bill. Another may be some
kind Of a measure to insure the Negroes
in the Southern States not only the
right but also the practice Of voting in
political elections. The Republicans have
seen the Negro vote in the Northern and
Western States shift from the G. o. P.
to the Democratic party in the last three
elections. They are anxious to put the
Democrats In Congress, and particularly
those from the solid South" on record
in these matters This may have q dis
tinctly political flavor, but the Repub-
licans believe they are entirely within
their rights in aggitating such measures.
II xx
In the old days, the great issue between
the Democrats and the Republicans was
the protective tariff. It was only little
more than four years ago that the Demo-
Gratis were denouncing the iniquities Of
the last Republican traiff law-the
oot-Hawley act. put through in the
first part of the Hoover administration.
The Democrats have been in power for
four years, however, and not a rate in
that tariff act has been changed by law.
The Roosevelt administration, 1t is true,
has been trying out its new plan of
reciprocal trade agreements, with the
effect of lowering tariff duties on imports
from lot of countries. But beyond
that it has not gone. The tariff issue,
for the time being, seems as dead as a
door nail. If the reciprocal trade agree
ments become wider and wider, the issue
may revive. That is q matter for the
future to disclose. There has been no
indication SO far that the administration
intends to propose . general revision Of
the tariff laws.
The Republicans are watchfully wait
ing to see If the administration comes
forward with a new kind of N. r. A.,
designed to place control on business.
They still insist that the old N. r. A.
put q damper on recovery which was
only removed when the Supreme Court
declared the act unconstitutional. They
are waiting to see If the administration
sponsors any measure seeking to limit
the powers Of the Supreme Court In the
matter of declaring acts Of Congress I'M
constitutional. If an assault is made on
the court, it may be expected that many
Of the Republicans will rise in opposi-
ton.
Chairman John Hamilton Of the Re-
publican National Committee, with q
vote of confidence given him by the
committee, has returned to Washington
ready to go ahead with plans for resusci-
tation of the G. o. p. His principle job
will be to strengthen the organization Of
the party in all the States so that 1t will
be in fighting trim for the 1888 con-
gressional elections He plans to give
all his time to building up the organiza-
ton, with a year-round campaign con-
Quoted by himself and his assistants.
This has never been done before.
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