Evening star., 1938-02-16
"COalitiOn."

Michigan. claiming that a political re-
in view of the attempts of the New
Dealers to batter down the American
system of government and free enter
prise. talks of coalition ticket" in the
next presidential race. Obviously his
purpose is to have all the anti New Deal
Democrats join all the anti-New Deal
Republicans to make headway against
the New Deal party. II it is necessary
for the Republicans to give up their
party identity" to effect such a coali-
ton. Mr.. Vandenberg, himself leading
Republican, is willing to 60 to that
length.
Opponents of coalition-and even
some Of those who would like to see
coalition successful-pooh- pooh the sug-
gestion. They do not believe in coalition
because they do not see how it would
be possible to make it work. These
skeptics, however. will inevitably see a
political realignment-cal it coalition
or any other name-if the issue becomes
sharp enough. Any great issue invari-
ably brings clean-cut demarcation in
the political ranks-but few issues are
really great. Fusion-or coalition-was
successful in New York City in 1893 and
in 1887 1t was successful because the
issue was clean government and the
people were aroused. The voters turned
on the old political ring and beat it
all over town. They were fed up on
political favoritism and corruption; on
the expenditure of public funds for
political favorites and for political gain.
Senator Vandenberg visualizes an
aroused people-not of the City of New
York but of the United States-in the
"ls4O campaign, ready to throw off po-
litical and bureaucratic domination
which the New Deal administration is
fastening upon it. If the people are
not aroused there will be no chance for
coalition or for a new party alignment.
1t remains to be seen how much the
American people can stand in the way
of public debt and taxation; of regimen
tation and control of all their intimate
and personal affairs. They have gone a
long way. Contributions from the Fed
eral Treasury have made the way easy
for the New Dealers Without such
contributions, they could never have
put some of their theories either into
law or into practice. The dollar hand
out has been the sugar bait. Two con-
gressional elections and one presiden-
tial election have been held since the
New Deal swung into action. In each
of these elections, the New Dealers have
been triumphant. Another congress
sional election is in the ofing-and
it may prove test for the presidential
race in 1910.
Republican opponents of the coalition
idea believe that if the New Deal ad-
ministration becomes unpopular the
G. o. P. will take command again. They
say-and with some justice-that if
enough of those who formerly voted the
Republican ticket return to their old al
legiance, they will sweep the New Deal
ers out of Office.
Senator Vandenberg, however, is one
of those who believes the situation
confronting the country is so serious
that every possible element of voting
strength should be rallied to oppose the
New Deal candidates. He is opposed
to drifting course; to waiting for VIC
tory until enough former Republicans
return to the party fold. He is willing
to make common cause with all oppo-
nents of what he considers socialism.
His is the more militant attitude and 1t
will appeal to many persons, both Re-
publican and Democratic; to persons
who are not so imbued with the inlpor-
tance Of their own political fortunes.
The coalition cause, so called, has a
powerful advocate in Senator Vanden-
berg. He does not mean to stop ham,
mering home the need for political re-
alignment. If the need become suf-
ficiently apparent, the way will be found.