Evening star., 1936-07-29


virtually hand-picked the delegates
from Office holders and their hench-
men far and wide, there was no
chance to get even a respectful hear
ing for the protest.
What then to do? Support Lam
don? The Republicans obviously
would like to see such Democratic
support thrown to the Republican
nominee. But if that is done, what
of the influence on local party tickets
and local party organizations? This
is the practical aspect which detcls
these Democrats from taking any
action that loses them their power on
the Democratic side. For at heart
they are not Republicans and have
fought the Republican party rather
vigorously in previous campaigns. NCr
has Gov. Landon as yet exhibited any
especial coalition interest IN these
Democrats, for. while he welcomes
their support-aS revealed i'll his
statement about former Gov. Ely of
MaSsachusetts-the spirit is that of
Republican who is anxious to re-
ceive but not necessarily to give
ground in return.
No Place to Go.
The Republican party platform, for
example, does not represent In any
single particular concession to ira
ditional Democratic principle. On the
contrary, all the things that Woodrow
Wilson, for example, stood for are
expressly rejected in the Republican
platform. The Democrats who feel
they are the real heirs Of Lrue Demo-
cratic doctrine have the choice today
of voting for Gov Landon or staying
away from the polls. There is no
place where they can afirmatlvely
express their adherence TO sound prin-
ciples that represent the rue Demo-
cratic faith.
What the constitutional Demo-
crats," as they have lately come to
be known, might have done was TO
organize independent movement. They
could have chosen electors identical
with the Republican electors in many
States and they might have had
separate ticket in most States, in
cluding some in the South, thus Civ
ing an opportunity to support local
Democratic tickets and local congress
sional candidates who adhered to an
independent or constitutional Demo-
cratic platform.
But for some reason or other these
Independent Democrats have lacked
leadership of an assertive character.
They have appeared to be unwilling
to take the chances that go with a
political revolution. The Detroit
meeting could give birth to such a
movement. The question of whether
an independent party would capture
a commanding position in this cleo
ton is secondary to the matter of
principle. Thus Calvin Coolidge wrote,
in an article which appeared in the
Saturday Evening Post shortly after
his death, the following piece of ad-
vice on this point to those who hesi-
tate to follow the logic of their con-
victions:
"A wise and patriotic craftsmanship
often is obliged to look beyond the
result of an immediate election. 1t
may be apparent that what it is nee
essary to do for the public welfare
will not at the present moment Sc
cure popular approval, but it will,
nevertheless, be best for the country.
Sometimes an election must be sacri-
ficed in the interest of the general
welfare. A party worth preserving will
take the risk"
Might Gain for 1898.
dc of
sands of Democrats in the border
States, as we'll as In the Northern
States, who never will vote for any,
body labeled Republican, even though
they are dissatisfied with President
Roosevelt because he has abandoned
the Jeffersonian principles on which
the party was founded
If the independent Democrats had
launched a party with some active
campaigner like Col. Henry Breckin-
ridge to put on fight in every State
where there is protest vote, the be-
ginning of reorganization of the
Democratic party might have been
anticipated. For even If the total vote
polled did not show a majority in any
one State, the potentialities of the
new party would form the foundation
of real clash with the New Deal
party in the congressional elections
Of 1888.
1t is doubtful whether these inde-
pendent Democrats are ready, how
ever, to take the risks involved. So,
apart from Democratic league for
Landon, something of the kind that
has been organized in nearly every
presidential campaign by persons who
bolt their own tickets, the public need
hardly look for the development of q
new party to issue from the Detroit
meeting