The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1938-09-09
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President Roosevelt's state
ment in regard to liberal Repub-
licans, however m u C h it may
offend old line party men to who
"the organization" is sacred,
really represents nothing new.
He has received support from
and given support to western
progressivesl including men of as
widely divergent views as La
Toilette and Norris and others
who are nominally registered
as Republicans. In 1920, 1924
and 1923 the Democratic party
suffered smashing defeats. 1t
could not have won in 1882 with
out the aid of those who had
before voted the Republican
ticket, but who were alienated
by the Hawley-Smoot tariff and
other evidence of reaction. The
president said:
IF there is a good liberal run
ming on a Republican ticket, l
would not h av e the slightest
objection to his election. The
good of the country rises above
party"
The difficulty in h is state
m en- is in defining good
liberal" Many Virginia Demo
Gratis consider themselves liberal.
They are opposed to the type of
conservatism that was eXem-
plified by the Harding and Cool
idge and Hoover regimes. They
are even more opposed 10 the
radicalism of an administration
that seeks to submerge the
Judicial and legislative branch
of government to the executive.
True liberals do not find them
selves at h o m e either in the
party of reaction or in the more
extreme New Deal.
Mr.. Roosevelt's own record
gives little aid in clarifying a
definition of present day liberal
ism. ......
In -932. Mr.. Roosevelt ran as a
liberal on the platform of re-
ducing the cost of government
by p per cent, maintaining a
sound currency at all hazards
and reducing tariff barriers to
wOrl trade.
Within a year his brand of
liberalism meant organized
monopoly under NRA codes, re-
structiOn of agricultural pro
ductlon, and a much devalued
currency. lFhe economy pledge
was abandoned and the nation
embarked on an effort to spend
its way out of the depression by
doubling its debt.
Last year Mr.. Roosevelt
brand of liberalism meant pack
ing the Supreme Court. This
year 1t meant a reorganization
Of the government to centralizc
power in the president.
The Baltimore Sun used to be
regarded as one of the great
liberal newspapers of American.
1t conducted a brilliant fight
against the forces of reaction
IN state and nation.
Now it says:
Liberalism, as it was origin
ally used, had to do with restrict
ing the powers of gorcrnment,
not increasing them But when
1t Is used by the head of the
most powerful government t h G
United States has ever seen. bv
the head Of the most powerful
political machine in the nations
history, that old definition
seems not to suffice. Now if
comes from the lips Of the man
who directs the flood of checks
from Washington, the subsidies
to hundred Of thousands. per-
haps millions Of Mariners the
weekly checks to millions d
WPA workers; amah Who con;
trolls the destinies Of vast new
shown his willingness ito use
these iobholders as an active
political force. The very woro
liberal coming from such a man
gives people furiously 10 think. IS
There are critical students of
the American scene whs believe
that 1910 will see a greAfAnS
long needed realignment of
American political parties. that
3bcient party names and shib-
bbleths have lost their meaning
Ihey would WhofAeS tAet time
when each national election is q
test not Of pdrty strength. on
party organization, but Of the
Continued Oh Page Four)