Evening star., 1937-12-12
By Lucy Salamanca.

- ONE years ago the late Will
Rogers counseled the American
public: Watch this young La
- Toilette. You are going to have
lot of dealings with him in years
to come" That proved to be
sound prophecy. 1t is still a sound
prophecy, or it may we'll be that,
after IL senatorial years, Robert La
Toilette, jr., senior Senator from Wis
consin, is entering upon the era OF
its more apparent fulfillment. AS a
matter of fact, the public has had "a
lot of dealings" already with the
man who, seated in the United States
Senate at the age of 80. has stead
fastly and eloquently championed an
"ever-rising standard Of living and an
ever-increasing purchasing power for
all the people; who has fought con-
sistently the "maldistribution of our
national income and argued that
taxes should be levied upon those best
able to pay them; who has aligned
himself with farmer and laborer, ex-
pressed himself in favor: Of a Gov
ernment-owned bank, so that credit
may be available to all upon an
equitable basis" and upheld public
ownership of railroads. public de-
velopment and operation Of electric
power, and the survival Of the right
to work.
Today, at the age of ~, this young
legislator. whom the Eastern press first
hailed as "an antiquated Progressive" :"
has developed that liberalism which
first sought merely to lop off abuses by
regulation of the system to the point
of attacking such abuses at their
roots, keeping clear, meanwhile, OF
dogmatisn, radicalism, conservatism,
or adherence to any hidebound So
cial philosophy that might restrict
Independent thought or action.
One of the mcst interesting per-
sonalities on the Hill today, young
Bob La Follette's name has been
linked with every movement designed
to restore order in the economic sys-
tenn, from relief to taxation. social
insurance to public works. An ex-
ample Of his own philosophy that
when patience means sterility, i'm
patience becomes the virtue" he has
exhibited the curiously significant
faculty Of sponsoring legislation that,
despite early designations Of dan
gerous" or radical" has turned out
to be sound enough for subsequent
inclusion in our laws.
THUS, when this same Bob La Fol-
lette makes the statement, as he
made it to this interviewer q few
days ago, that as Nation we are
again experiencing crisis within
a crisis" and that reduction of
capital expenditure and purchasing
power, accompanied by rising prices
and the building up of huge inven-
tories" have produced that crisis, his
admonition that we profit by the
sad and bitter experience of the
years between 1929 and 1888" becomes
charged with import.
ITO my mind" Senator La Fol.
lette asserted further, this is the
great question which the special and
regular sessions Of Congress must
answer. In this present crisis, are
we to make the same mistake that
was made from 1929 to 1888, or are
we to profit by that sad and bitter
experience? I trust that In answer
ing this question we will not over
look a few simple truths: First, that
we cannot produce wealth hv idle.
ness. Second. that the Government
does not owe any one living, bu
that any. Government worthy of the
name has the responsibility Of pro-
viding an opportunity to enjoy q full
and decent life TO all those ready ant
willing to work"
Senator La Toilette believes that this
session Of Congress, 'like every other