Evening star., 1937-05-06
Doctoring the G.. o. p.

The doctors are beginning to rally
round the G. O. P. Recently some So
called insurgent Republicans, like Borah
OF Idaho and Nye of North Dakota, have
indicated in conversations that their cure
for the Republican Party is a serious
surgical operation, looping of many of
the leading figures in the old organiza-
ton. Only in that way, these progress
sive Republicans insist, will it be pos
sible to get the mass of the voters to 20
to the polls and support Republican
candidates for Office. At the same time,
Chairman John Hamilton of the Repub-
lican National Committee is going on
the air in series of radio speeches to
stir up interest in the Republican Party
as it is. Ogden Mills, Secretary of the
Treasury under former President Hoover
and former member of Congress from
New York. before the New School for
Social Research, has delivered two ad-
dresses in which he pictured the Repub-
lican Party as the agency to fight for
the individual, against New Deal COL
lectivism.
Discussion OF new political alignments
is in the air. AS a matter OF fact, the
past four years have seen a vast change
in the old political alignment. Millions
OF people who formerly voted the Re-
publican ticket changed their allegiance
and swung in behind Franklin D. Roose-
welt. But now many Democrats who
were faithful to the principles of the old
party Of Thomas Jefferson are restless.
The swing, some of the prophets insist,
is toward still newer political align
ment.
Quite naturally, the Republicans are
hopeful that the swing will be to the
G. o. P. 1t is to take advantage of this
sWlng-if there is such a swing-that
the progressive wing and the conserva-
tive wing are making their plans. Un-
doubtedly their plans differ in important
respects For example, the suggestion
emanating from the Progressives that
the Republican National Committee be
cast aside-or at least shuffled off to one
slde-and new party organization be
set up is not in line with the conservative
thought. Any such movement, If it
comes, must be planned on a large
scale and will require very definite
leadership. Although Borah has talked
of such movement, he has not COM
mitted himself to taking the leadership,
nor have any Of the others. But the
thing is pushing itself forward.
The conservative Republicans, who
look with interest upon the disinclination
OF the conservative Democrats to follow
President Roosevelt further on the course
he has charted, are hopeful that some
thing may be done to win these dis
gruntled Democrats over finally. Many
OF these Democrats, however, hail from
the South, where Republican labels have
been anathema for more than halt
century. For that reason there is talk
OF change Of the party name. Such
a change is under consideration by the
Progressives also.
Nothing has given the Republicans
more hope than the division among the
people over President Roosevelts pro-
gram to increase the membership OF the
Supreme Court, taken in conjunction
with the reluctance Of the Administra-
ton to deal firmly with the sit-down
strike. They believe that at last a real
rift has come in the heterogeneous group
known as the New Deal Democratic
Party.
Some Of the Republicans, and these
are in both the conservative and pro-
gressive groups, are convinced that the
G. o. P. must get better or die" They
recall the fate Of the Wing Party which
hourished for thirty years or more prior
to 1852, and then curled up. It was the
slavery issue which brought disruption in
the Wing Party and along with it was
the feeling that the Whig Party stood
for privilege"
Ogden Mills, in his lecture, made the
following significant statement: my
purpose in giving these lectures is to
consider effectively whether our tradi-
tional system Of free government of free
enterprise, and Of individual liberty is
capable OF satisfying the legitimate de-
mands and aspirations of the people. If
1t is, no right thinking American will
ever submit to collectivism and its CO.
ercion." This may well become the
rallying cry Of the q. O. P. provided 1t
can be translated into concrete issues.