Evening star., 1946-04-01
Coalitions Critics
Overlook History
Writer Recalls Previous Moves
To Balk at Party's Policies
BY David Laurence

BY David Laurence
Recent criticism of the coalition be-
tween southern Democrats and Repub-
licans which has emanated. curiously
enough, from the so-called liberal" or
progressive" wing OF the Democratic
party, has had little or no effect on the
combination idea, and for the very good
reason that it is in accord with the
traditions Of American politics.
The so-called liberals" of today have
overlooked entirely the occasions in
American history when their ancestors
formed coalition of bipartisan nature.
Back in 1911, the insurgent movement in
the Republican party under the leader
ship of Senator Dolliver of Iowa, Re-
publican, which arose in the Middle
West, formed temporary coalition with
the Democrats to defeat the high tariff
proposals Of those years. 1t was a coali-
ton of insurgent Republicans which
Joined with the Democrats to defeat
"Cannonism" and the straitjacket rules
of the House OF Representatives. The
late George Norris Of Nebraska, then a
Republican member OF the House, led
the fight against his own party to modify
the House rules-a reform of major i'm
portance in the history Of Congress.
The same George Norris departed
from the Republican fold again and
again to support Democratic nominees
for the Presidency but none of the pres
ent-day liberals in the Democratic
party ever rose to suggest that he be
read out Of the party.
Insincerity Revealed.
The transparent insincerity of sugges-
tions that the southern Democrats be
read out of their party now Is revealed
when 1t Is recalled that the Roosevelt
Democrats made 1t a cardinal part OF
their strategy to wean away Republi-
cans. They succeeded in the 1914 presi-
Dental campaign in persuading Senator
Ball of Minnesota, Republican, to bolt
Dewey.
The argument seems to be now that
| 1t is wrong for Democratic members OF
Congress to exercise their independence
Of Judgment, but it is all right for Re-
publicans to do so.
Another illusion which has been ex-
pressed from time to time by the So
called liberal" school is that the party
should be bound by caucus or confer
ence to the ADMINISTRATIONS leadership.
| This concept of party discipline has
long become outmoded. 1t is due to the
fact that President though theoreti-
cally leader OF his party Is actually to-
day interested in his own reelection re-
gardless Of what effect 1t has on his
party following in Congress
| Rarely has an administration for
nearly quarter Of a century, whether
| Republican or Democratic, attempted
TO formulate party program with due
regard to the interests of the members
| OF the House or the Senate Under the
New Deal, 1t became the custom for
the executive branch WI h its brain
trusters' to write bills and bring them
/ to Capitol Hill to be passed irrespective
I OF the wishes Of the individual members.
/ Again and again, the legislators were
| ignored or their wishes disregarded.
Senator Barkley's resignation as party
leader OF the Senate in 1914 because
the late President Roosevelt vetoed q
tax bill against the advice of his own
leaders was followed Immediately by,
the reelection of Mr.. Barkley by all
the Democrats in the Senate. This was
show of independence which the Ad-
| minlstration didn't like, but it was In
/ accord with tradition.
! Congress Remains Free.
/ For until the United States merges
! the executive and legislative branches
! OF the Government, as is done under
the Canadian or British Common
! Wealth's parliamentary system, there
can be no legitimate domination by the
/ President except through the process
OF public opinion. Congress remains as
free to make party policy as does the
! Chief Executive.
/ The reason why the southern Demo-
Gratis have combined on certain issues
with the Republicans is because the
Democratic party itself is being under
mined by its left wing. The anti-left-
wing Democrats feel they are as much
entitled to make party policy as their
opponents. and there is no reason why
southern or northern Democrats
shouldn't make coalitions with the op-
posite party at will
Strangely enough, when the anti
| poll-tax controversy was up recently.
the northern Democrats who came from
States with large Negro constituencies,
formed a coalition with the Republicans,
which was beaten only by f1libuster.
There is no doubt that such a coalition
/ would have commanded majority In
the Senate if the measure had been
permitted to come to vote. So coali-
tlons are good or bad depending on
which side happens to be the benefi-
ciary or the victim of such tactics.
Purges and reading out" members
from either party are not practical un-
der our two-party system. individuals
are free to remain In or leave the party
leadership in Congress as they choose,
but the voters alone in particular areas
can say whether they shall be punished
or applauded for so doing.
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Power. Embodied
| From the Wall Street Journal.
( When Admiral King warned araipst