Evening star., 1947-03-24

Gaining Il e III
selves liberals"
pretty sick.
Tt Is worth Frank R. Kent.
noting that neither of the factions
into which the liberal" forces most
recently have split have seen f1t to
use the word in the name it has
selected for its organization. One
calls itself the Progressive Citizens
of America, or the Pea; the other
Is known as the Americans for
Democratic Action, or the ADA.
Both are sonorous and high-sound-
ing, but they only accentuate the
absurdity Of the division.
In politics, majorities frequently,
and, in the course Of time, inevita-
bly. split. That is natural. But,
from the practical political point of
view, when minorities split, 1t does
not make any sense at all. What
that amounts to is deliberately di-
minishing less than so per cent
chance to win. That is why 1t
seemed generally ridiculous when
the radical groups which, though in
power during the Roosevelt regime,
never have been a majority In the
country. chose to divide into two
more or less hostile camps few
months after the country had
elected a conservative Republican
Congress.
Divided Its Patronage"
This has since been accentuated
by the new attitude of the CIO, in
which organization the radicals Of
every shade from the parlor pink
to the out-and-out Communists for
years have found a happy home.
When the Pea and the ADA were
first launched on the political seas,
each had high CIO officials on
board. The unctuous Mr.. Philip
Murray showed up as a vice presi-
dent of the Pea, which does not
bar Communists from member
ship, while the Messrs. John Green
and Walter Reuther were announced
as committee members Of the ADA.
In other words, the CIO divided its
patronage, played no favorite.
But now, with typical timidity.
Mr.. Murray has changed his strate-
gy. Withdrawing from the Pea OF
Mr.. Henry Wallace, he has recon-
mended that other CIO officials
withdraw from the ADA. This rec
ommendation has been followed
but not wholeheartedly. The issue
is still regarded as unsettled.
Naturally, the Withdrawals have
displeased both ADA and Pea,
whose leaders tend to regard Mr.
Murray as a muddly-minded man
who does not know what he wants to
do. The truth Is that he is terribly
embarrassed because Mr.. Wallace
whom he has eXtolled to the skies
sponsors one Of these new organiza-
tions, and Mrs. Roosevelt, whom he
worships, is in the other.
In addition, because of the Com
munist saturation of his own organi-
zation, it embarrasses him to joir
group which welcomes Commu.
nists, as does the Pea, and it en-
barrasses him to join one that will
not permit any Communists to be-
long-as does the ADA. For that
latter principle is one he cannot
possibly establish in his own CIO
where many key positions are held
by Communists and some Of its
strongest unions dominated by them
Perhaps, Mr.. Murray may again
change his mind because another
complication that he has not fore
seen may easily arise to plague him
Withdrawal Presents Problem.
For example, If he is going tt
insist that the CIO display neu-
trality (by withdrawing from both
between the two latest groups intt
which the "modernists" have di.
vided, what will be his position
toward the American Labor Part.
and the Liberal Party in New York
That was the first split among th'
radicals and the issue that divided
them was practically the same a.
that upon which Pea and ADA di
vided.
A large group originally in tn,
American Labor Party becomin,
convinced that it was Communist
controlled, revolted and formed tn,
Liberal Party. The CIO bose!
were-and still are-afflliated witt
both. AS a matter of mere con
sistency, one would think that Mr.
Murray would have to apply tht
same rule to all four of these organ
izations.
If he withdraws himself and hi.
men from the ADA and the Pea
1t would seem necessary to Withdraw
from the ALP and the Liberal Party
They are all so nearly identical IL
purpose and complexion that h,
cannot decently make fish of on,
pair and fowl of the other. A
least, that is the way it looks to tn,
normal view.
However, Mr.. Murray has a wa.
all his own of pulling himself ou
of inconsistent positions and evad
ing the results Of contradicting him
self. When muddles such as thi
threaten to exhibit him as a bun
Cling straddler, he always falls bacl
on his publicity department.
If trouble comes-aS seems sure
from the silly position into whicl
he has got himself, there will issu