Evening star., 1938-05-04

II \
think it is also
going to hep them
Starting with the So-called left wing
or radical groups inside the Republican
and inside the Democratic ranks, one
finds a tendency to speak diSparagingly
OF the La Toilette movement as
sort of crude interjection of personal
program more or less identified with
the La Toilette family'S own efforts
TO create independent movements. The
Roosevelt left-wingers do not like the
Idea and regard il as not at all chubby
they think liberals and radicals
should stick together and not divide
in the face OF the enemy, the re
sctionarleS.'
Some Of the middle of the readers
in the Democratic party who have
followed Mr.. Roosevelt on many occa-
sionS but have found il necessary to
part company on some of his measures
such as the Supreme Court packing
bill and the reorganization bill. ad-
vance the theory that the La Toilette
movement Will be distinctly beneficial
TO the Democratic party as a whole
by forcing the President to turn a bit
In their direction. abandoning his al
lances with the extreme left-Wingers.
II is strange how eacn old-line group
IN the major parties derives some sat
isfacuon from the prospect of seeing
trouble in the ranks Of Tie radicals.
Real Left Wing Movement.
Ny own impression is that the La
Toilette movement should not be un-
dereStimated. Il is the beginning Of
a real left wing which will take the
place of the inefficient. clumsy and
indeed incompetent left wing efforts
Ct the Roosevelt administration. For
while the conservatives may have plenty
OF criticism of the President to eX-
press, 1t is tame compared TO the feel
ing Of disappointment with the Roose-
velt policies uttered by the so-called
liberals
What these radical groups find
wrong in Mr.. Roosevelt is his effort
10 carry water on both shoulders,
his sig-zagging course from left to
right and back again They want
him to 60 through with his Tennessee
and to build seven T. V. AS all over
the country. They want public owner
ship and naturalization of important
industries and businesses and de-
gree Of governmental control of and
intervention in private business. which
is closer to State socialism than any,
thing else
While the La Toilette pronuncia-
rnento is vague and probably with
purpose left unclear. it does tend
toward State socialism Of a type not
much different from the New Deal OBJ
jectives.
Mobile Force in Politics.
AS practical matter of politics
The La Toilette movement can enter
Republican primaries and help to
secure the nomination OF Republicans
friendly to the La Toilette program.
Or else support can be given Demo-
Gratis Of the left wing in the hope of
creating finally in Congress a bi-parti-
san left wing bloc capable of having
a great deal Of influence in both
parties in the presidential election of
1870
The La Toilette movement is not
hl-timed. If anything. it is a bit
later than the time it should have
been launched. One wonders, on the
other hand, how it can make much
headWay in. the congressional cleo
lions this year because 1t will take
conslderable money to organize in
many congressional districts The
principal allies expected by the La
Follette movement must be the labor
groups and certain farm organizations.
Here the Roosevelt regime can exercise
much influence in holding such eroups
under the New Deal banner. But
"hen there arises a set of circur-
stances in which labor and farm
groups begin to be subject 10 nres-
sure from all sides, their bargaining
power for governmental favors is
thereby enhanced.
The La Follettes are conscientious
and capable family with a fair for
independent politics. They have for
years IN wisconsin drawn helm from
both major parties. The odd thing
Is That the late Robert La Toilette
father of the present Governor .nd
the present Senator from Wisconsin
was never able to do nationally what
ne accomplished in breaking down
party lines IN his own State. In the
1924 election, with President Coolidge
and John w. Davis as the nominees
respectively, of the Republican and
Democratic parties, both of them being
regarded as conservatives. the La Fol-
lette candidacy carried but one State,
Wisconsin. But there was strength in at
least II other States. and most people
do not realize that Mr. Coolidge failed
to get majority in those II States,
being plurality winner of the cleo
toral college vote.
Roosevelt Drew From Both.
Since those days conserva tism has
undergone considerable weakening and
Franklin Roosevelt has done nation
ally what Mr.. La Toilette never did
he has acquired strength in both
parties. but he was able to concentrate
that strength in one of the old
line parties. Mr.. Roosevelt probably
would not have Jared any better than
the elder La Toilette If he had tried
. third-party movement.
II Mr.. Roosevelt wants to help to
elect a successor from the Democratic
party in 1910 he will not join the La
Toilette group. And by 1910 it may
be that the La Toilette group will be
ready to throw its strength behind Mr.
Roosevelt's prospective nominee on the
Denc"ratic ticket. 1t is likely that a
certain friendliness will be maintained
as between the La Toilette movement
and the New Deal. This is on the
assumption that the Republicans do
not 60 IN for bit of liberalism them
selves In 1910. something hardly to be
expected because Of the Republican
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