Evening star., 1938-08-18


or Senator La Fol-
lette to have used the name Republi-
can as long as they did, entering the
Republican primaries in their respec-
tive States when they had ignored
fundamental doctrines of their party,
was as much subject to criticism as
for Democratic Senators to do the
same thing with respect to their own
party principles.
The problem is "Who is to read
man out of his party?" The Republic
cans were faced with this problem in
1912 and many years thereafter. They
finally came as practical matter OF
party organization to let it alone.
When MIR. Roosevelt wants to purge
his party of members of Congress who
do not agree with his policies, the
important issue is whether one man
is to interpret party policy or whether
the rank and file of the party are to
have anything to say about party
affairs.
No Plank of Supreme Court.
to which delegates wt5szelected wrote
q platform. 1t might be understand
able If some of the men who now are
being opposed by President Roosevelt
had violated the party platform OF
1885. But the public will search in
vain the text of the 1885 Democratic
platform adopted in Philadelphia for
a single plank or phrase which tells
the people the party wanted the
Supreme Court tampered with by the
packing plan suggested by Mr.. Roose-
welt, or any other device.
Had Senator George of Georgia or
Representative O'Connor of New York
violated the 1895 party platform in
several particulars, they would GER
tainly be subject to party discipline,
and while it will be questioned whether
the presidential Office should be used
for such political combat, the activity
Of party leaders in a given State to
punish a man for deserting the party
platform would be accepted as both
logical and desirable.
The 1896 platform of the Demo-
cratic party is a radically different
document from that of 1882. After
telling the convention at Chicago that
he stood 100 per cent for the platform
welt proceeded in his first admins
tration to violate the principal planks
thereof But in 1896 he went before
a convention, large proportion Of
whose delegates were Federal appoint
ees or the beneficiaries of administra-
ton favor, and secured the unanimous
adoption Of platform which he
himself had approved in advance.
Who Is a Democrat?
The 1886 platform could be con-
sidered the acid test of party loyalty.
Yet by reading it carefully it will
not be found that the men who are
the victims of the purge" disagreed
with the platform principle but only
here and there with some details of
legislation which sought to carry out
the platform planks. Is Democrat
only he who accepts particular plat
form and ignores its predecessors? Or
is Democrat one who, while disre-
garding all other party traditions, not
only accepts the platform, but takes
orders from a party boss who sets
himself up as the interpreter of the
platform and the policeman Of the
party?
If the party boss idea is to prevail,
then party primaries are likely to
become of little value and the old
convention system with its manipula-
ton by party bosses-that is, Federal
bosses-will come back into vogue
Party discipline has long been urged
Of American craftsmanship and as
affording an opportunity for co-opera-
ton between the executive and legisla-
tive branches of the Government.
But party discipline depends on
democratic methods. If legislator
is to be threatened with the purge"
by the President, then he will never
venture to differ with the bills handed
him by the White House. The British
system is substantially the type that
Mr.. Roosevelt has in mind. In the
parliamentary form of government,
the party leaders work out together
the party platform and program and
then executive and legislative cooper
ate to carry out the whole thing. In
England and in other countries where
the parliamentary form exists. they
have something which the United
States does not enjoy, namely, the
system of recall of the executive at
any time that he loses public conf
dence
Would Call Public as Arbiters.
Thus, if majority of the members
OF Congress differed with the Pres
1dent on party program, they could
defeat him and he would either have
to retire from Office or carry the issue
to the people for a decision as to
whether the party in Congress or the
executive happened to be right.
Mr.. Roosevelt wants to have all the
advantages Of the British system with
out the disadvantages. If central
lied government is to be the order
Of the day and If party discipline is
to be applied by the President as the
party boss, then some method of
checking the Presidents Judgment
becomes essential and that brings us
10 the old progressive doctrine of the
recall Of public officers. Centralized
government may become inevitable,
but with 1t may also come the recall
at any time that the party boss or
leader misconstrues his applause. The