Evening star., 1936-04-09
EORAH VERD|CTS
EMPHASIZE SPLIT
Discord Evidenced in G. O.
P. May Hasten Reorgan-
- ization of Parties.
BL DAVID LAWRENCE.

presidential preference primary IN
Wisconsin reveals the almost irrecon-
ciIable nature of the cleavage inside
the Republican party. The primary
In New York State the other day, in
which Mr.. Borah lost, illustrated the
same thing.
The Republican label is apparently
not one in which a man Of Mr..
Borah's views can win delegates in
primaries in the East, though it is
the vehicle for an easy victory for
him in western State.
The Idaho Senator is by no means
as radical as the La Follettes, nor Is
he as irregular in his support Of the
Republican ticket as has been Senator
Norris or other western Republicans
of the so-called progressive school Of
thought. But in conservative areas
along the Atlantic seaboard some
dyed -the-wool Republicans are
heard to say they would just as soon
see Mr. Roosevelt reelected as Mr..
Borah in the White House.
What this discloses is an unrelent-
Ing conservatism that seeks express
sion through the Republican party at
the same moment that men of the
more liberal or progressive wing en-
deavor to refashion the party to meet
what they believe to be the liberal
trend Of the times.
Candidacy Based on Change.
The task of remodeling the Re-
publican party to suit the extremes
within its ranks may not be happy
assignment for any Republican leader
today but it apparently waits on both
a man and a formula. The Borah
candidacy is based on the sound prin-
cipIe that if Mr.. Roosevelt's New
Deslism was sufficient TO carry the
country in 1882 and 1884, there must
be something in it as an approach to
the popular mood in 1886 1t will be
noted that both Gov. Landon OF
Kansas and Senator Vandenberg of
Michigan have not said that all OF
the New Deal was wrong, but have
concentrated on particular features
that seemed to them indefensible.
But the Idaho Senator feels that
his principal claim to support this
year is on an issue which should
appeal to conservative as we'll as
progressives in the Republican party.
namely, the upholding Of the tradi-
tions of the Supreme Court. He has
tried to awaken the voters to real
ization that the very constitutional
system of government under which
America has been operating for more
than Is years is in danger If Mr..
Roosevelt continues in his challenging
attitude toward the Supreme Court.
In answer to this argument one
hears conservatives complaining that
It was Senator Borah who influenced
President Hoover to appoint to the
supreme bench Justice CardoZo, who
by recent opinions is regarded as
having put himself on record in favor
of extending the power of the central
government by judicial construction.
Issue Expected to Grow.
There is no doubt as the campaign
goes on that the Supreme Court issue
will become of greater importance than
it is today. The next President of the
United States will probably be able
to renake the court if vacancies &C.
cur. The present 6-to-3 lineup could
readily be changed if the power to
appoint only two justices we're given
to the occupant of the White House
in the next administration. Then
there is the ever-present charge that
the number of justices might be in
RI hty of
quest Of President Roosevelt should
he be reelected and in this manner
the balance of power in the court
might be shifted to the group who
believes in amending the Constitution
by judicial decision.
Mr.. Borahs candidacy is unquestion-
ably not to the liking Of the conserva-
tive Republicans and especially to
that larger faction which believes that
either Gov. Landon or Senator Van
denberg carry with them enough pro-
gressivisn to suit the West and enough
conservatism to suit the East.
East vs.. West Again.
But with the present trend of politics
IN America, it may be case of East
being East and West being West and
never the twain getting together. For
there are not few II the West who
might prefer Mr.. Borah to Mr. Roose-
velt, but not some Of the other pros
pective Republican nominees in prefer
ence to the reelection of Mr.. Roose-
welt.
The Republican cause is naturally
suffering at the moment because of
these factional disputes and that is one
of the reasons why most observers feel
that Mr. Roosevelt's political stock has
been taking an upward turn lately.
The truth is the obvious is becoming
more obvious every day-the Repub-
lican party as a cohesive instrument
tality is not much better of than it
was in the first postwar decade when
the western Republicans and the DEM
ocrats formed coalition after coalition
to control the Senate The day of a
new political party with conservative
Democrats and conservative Republi-
cans from all sections Of the country
battling it out with the radicals, the
liberals, the progressives and New
Dealers Of all parties, may not be as
near as has been believed, but if the
consequences of Republican discord
are reflected in the November, 1885.
election, the demand for such re-
organization Of both parties will be-
come much more pertinent and vocal.