The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-04-17
C. 0. P. NEEDS
SOLID FRONT,
STOKES SAYS
Young Turk Movement
viii Fail, He Says, Unless
Ranks Are Unified.
BY THOMAS L. STOKES
Times Special Writer

WASHINGTON, April ia new
Young Turk" movement Is being
organized by Republicans in Con-
gress in an attempt to steam up
issues against the New Deal. Chair
man Henry P. Fletcher of the Re-
publican National Committee is
directing 1t from behind the scenes.
At the moment the Young Turk"
group is concerning itself with re-
lief and taxation. In each instance,
its members are trying to offer a
counter program.
Left out of the movement thus
far are the official Republican
leaders of the Senate and House,
Senator Charles l.. McNary of
Oregon and Rep. Bertrand H. Smell
of New York, both veterans Of many
years service.
Vandenburg Is Prominent
Prominent in the movement in
the Senate are Senator's Arthur
Vandenberg of Michigan, a Repub-
lican presidential possibility who
was once leader Of a Young
Turk" movement in the Hoover Ad-
ministration; Frederick Steiwer.
Oregon colleague of Senator
McNary; Warren r. Austin of YER
mont, and Frederick H. White of
Maine.
Its outstanding leaders in the
House are three New Workers., Reps.
Robert L. Bacon and John Taber,
who are situated strategically for
the relief battle by membership on
the Appropriations Committee, and
Frank Crowther, who is trying to
map out counter tax program as a
member of the Ways and Means
Committee.
They consult with Mr.. Fletcher
from time to time, and they are re-
ceiving ammunition from the new
Republican brain trust" of college
professors who purportedly are
making an independent, non-par-
tisan" study of New Deal measures
and can not be considered in any
way comparable to the New Deal
brain trust" according to Mr..
Fletcher.
McNary Leans Toward New Deal
Senator McNary has been SYM
pathetic with some New Deal OBJ
lectives, too much so to please some
OF his colleagues who have tried to
push him into a frontal assault on
the New Deal. The Senator inclines
toward moderate liberalism of tie
western variety and has frequently
taken a position contrary to that of
the party's eastern wing.
Mr.. SHELLS leadership has not
been entirely to the liking of some
of the little band of Republicans in
the House, but the rumblings of
dissatisfaction have come from the
western and more progressive mem
bers rather than from the eastern
conservatives.
Differences over procedure be-
tween Senator McNary and some of
the fasteners serve to stress anew
the divided caliber of the Repub-
lican Party, even six and a half
months before election, which
further Is apparent in the fact that
the two Republicans, Senators Nor
ris Of Nebraska and Johnson of
California, are supporting the
Roosevelt regime, Senator La
Toilette of Wisconsin has set up a
party of his own and is backing the
President, while Senator Borah of
Idaho continues to be party in
himself with a better New Deal
voting record than some Democrats
and constant irritating words about
the G.. o. P.
Solid Front Seems Impossible
Not since March 4, 1893, have Re-
publicans been able to unite on q
single issue and it is apparent now
that they will be unable to stand as
a solid front on the two issues now
foremost.
The proposed young Turk"
counter program on relief is, first,
to reduce ordinary government ex-
penditures and, second, to turn the
relief problem back to the states
through Federal grants to the states
instead of the strictly Federal
directed program now in effect. The
counter tax program is still neb-
ulous, but would include an in
crease of the present flat corpora
ton tax. instead of the proposed
repeal of this tax and substitution
of tax on undistributed stock divi-
dends.
Regular Republicans are less we'll
equipped, perhaps, for attack in
Congress today than in years. They
lack leaders with the skill and touch
for dramatizing issues. They lack
the light artillery" necessary for
rapier-like thrusts that command
attention.
If they can arouse some semblance
of unity it will be an accomplish
ment.