The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-06-27

Chicago tells one story most
completely namely, that there is
no continuity within the national
political parties. In fact. there are
in reality only state political par
ties who meet every four years 10
make treaties and deals and to
reach understandings among them
selves. The institution called a
national committee functions for
year or so before a convention,
dealing mostly with the scaffolding
OF the party structure.
This lack Of continuity is made
most evident in the Republican
party in Chicago by the insignifi-
canoe OF Hoover, Landon and Will
kie. the last three leaders OF the
party. In 1910, the Democrats ex-
perienced the same thing in the
elimination Of Jim Farley and the
control of their convention by Har-
ry Hopkins rank outsider. In
the same year. the Republicans
nominated Wendell Willkie who
was an outsider.
This year. Herbert Hoover, the
last Republican president, is per
mitted to make 4 speech, but no
more After this particular speech,
he will retire from active partisan
politics. AFL Landon was expect
ed TO be chairman OF the resolu-
tons committee but he was passed
over. Wendell Willkie was Offered
a ticket on the platform. In
word, the party Is born anew at
each convention. The new crowd
steps in and takes over. The mas
tiers may be old timers or, as In
the case OF the Democrats. an alb
solute outsider like Sidney Hill
man.
What is true OF personalities is
equally true OF the platform. The
Republican party. for instance, has
long history of platforms since
1856. 1t has been the party Of
middle-class nationalistic, conser-
vative Americans since Grant. al
though it commenced with a strong
tinge~ of radicalism under Fremont
and Lincoln | recently read all
the Republican platforms for 81
years, a task OF dubious usefulness,
yet one which did produce a pat
tern OF thought running pretty
steadily in one direction. For
instance, the Republican party new
er favored cheap, soft money; that
was a recurrent virus in the Demo
Gratis. There are many similar diff
ferences.
fear that 1914 may produce a
Republican curiosity in the sense
that this party seeks some guise
called liberalism. No one quite
knows what this word means ex'
cept that 1t has elected Mr.. Roose-
welt three times and may do it a
fourth time. It would seem that
liberalism" has something TO do
with saying what one does not be-
lieve in the most plausible and ac-
ceptable manner. At any rate, IT
gets votes in the large cities OF
the North, and this year, due to
war time migrations. may even do
something astonishing in the South.
Liberalism" is in American poll
tics synonymous with ambiguity.
The maximum definition that is
obtainable Is that liberal Repub-
lican is one who admits that there
is much to say for the New Deal
except that Roosevelt is a poor
operator OF II. The fact that this
sort OF tongue wagons did not
elect Willkie in 1910 discourages
few in 1914, because 1t Is obvious
that those who can believe that
Roosevelt is mostly right but does
it wrong can also believe that VIII
Ike was mostly right but did It
wrong. Out OF this illogical con-
clusion will. of course, come many
illogical otfsprings.
Some Republican politicians also
believe that they will hold Middle
West Republicans In line on hate
Roosevelt ticket no matter what
happens. just as the Democrats
hold the solid South on an anti
negro rule no matter what happens.
Therefore, It is wise to hand out