Evening star., 1952-11-04
The Political Mill
The Political Mill
Morse Raises Problem
For Senate Republicans
Could Be One-Mon Porty
By 6. o. P. Resignation
BY Gould Lincoln

Senator Wayne Morse of Oregon has
raised a problem for the Republicans
of the Senate by his support of the
Democratic candidate for President in
the campaign now closed, and his SUBJ
sequent resignation" from the Re-
publican Party. Since the Oregon
Senator did not 60 all the way and
announce himself now member Of the
Democratic Party, he also becomes a
problem for the Democrats. For the
organizations of both major parties in
the Senate assign their members to the
standing committees of that body.
Mr.. Morse may say it's no problem
at all-that he expects favors from
neither side. He has designated him
self an Independent Republican-what-
ever that may be. AS such. he will
constitute a one-man party in the
Senate. Presumably, he will get assign
ments to committees as member of the
minority, provided the minority is will
ing to accept that responsibility. Ger
tainly, it would be unusual though
highly magnanimous. for the Republic
cans to permit him to retain his present
Republican committee appointments.
The only reason for such course would
be the G. O. Ps hope to win him back to
party regularity.
Has Shown Independence.
AS a matter of fact, Senator Morse
has shown his independence of party on
numerous occasions in the past, voting
against the majority of the Republicans
and with the Democrats on specific
issues. He also showed his political
courage when, after deciding to support
Gov. Stevenson of Illinois in the presi-
Dental race, he announced he had
resigned from the Republican Party. It
was, indeed, the honest thing to do.
Other Senators have declined to support
the presidential candidates of their
respective parties. This reporter, how
ever, does not recollect that in recent
years any Senator who has slipped over
in presidential election, to the OPP
posing political party, has promptly an
nounced he was through with his old
party.
A number Of Republican Senators and
members of the House, when the late
President Theodore Roosevelt ran as the
presidential candidate of the Bull Moose
Party, gave their support to Roosevelt
against President William Howard Taft.
After the election, in which President
ner, these Progressive Republicans moved
back into the Republican fold. In 1924,
former Senator Wheeler of Montana,
Democrat. abandoned the party's presi-
Dental candidate, John w. Davis and
was nominated for Vice President on the
Progressive ticket with the late Senator
Bob La Toilette of Wiconsin. Like the
Bull Moose Party IL years earlier, the
pY.No jya Do vi hno Iod hxyC T
Toilette, disintegrated quickly and Sena-
tor Wheeler was welcomed back into the
Democratic Party. Neither he nor Sen
ator La Toilette formally resigned from
their respective parties-although the
step they took might be considered
resignation. Senator La Toilette died
not long after the 1924 election and was
succeeded by his son, Robert La Toilette.
jr., who was elected as Progressive Re-
publican.
La Toilette Was Disciplined.
Senator La Toilette was supported. in
his race for the Presidency. by several
Progressive Republican Senators. among
them the late Senator Ladd of North
Dakota VINO was chairman of the Public
Lands Committee. He was disciplined
by the Republicans, who took away his
Craftsmanship and gave it to the late
Senator Stanfield of Oregon. Other
than that. however. no disciplinary ac-
tion was taken against the La Follette
Republicans in the Senate.
Senator Morses resignation from the
Republican Party leaves those Repub-
licans in oregon who elected Morse
without full representation in the Sem
ate. Some of them are exceedingly
angry over the whole affair. One Of
them F E. Epton of Portland. has writ
ten to members of the Senate urging
that steps be taken to remove Mr.. Morse
from the Senate-by the Senate itself.
No one expects any such action. The
only remedy would be the resignation OF
Senator Morse himself-and that no one
expects that, either. Senator Morse will
come up for denomination and re-elec-
ton in 1856. Until that time. the people
of oregon will have no say in the mat
ter.