Evening star., 1953-01-08
The Political Min
Morse Re-emphosizes
His Break With 6. Q. P.
Political Rood Is q Rough
One for Any Independent
By Gould Lincoln


Senator Wayne Morse Of Oregon, who
now proclaims himself one-r1an party
in the Senate, has apparently turned
his back flatly and completely on his
old political afiliation with the Repub-
lican Party. So far he has not been,
willing to join up with the Democrats
although he supported Gov. Adlai
Stevenson Of Illinois, the Democratic
candidate for President against Gen.,
Eisenhower He calls himself an inde-
pendent Perhaps he has no inclination
to run for a third Senate term when he
completes IL years in the Upper House,
as ne Will four years hence. But if he
does run. and hopes to win, he will have
to make up his mind what political
party he calls his own. Independents
don't get very far in this tough game Of
politics. -'--, >.
Senator Morse's chance, in the event
ne does not return to the G. o. p. fold
or move over to the Democratic, would
lie IN personal following strong
enough and drawing enough votes from
the two major parties to let him slide
IN between and win. Either that, or the
chance enough Democrats would vote
Tor him, plus his followers in the Re-
publican ranks. to give him victory. His
dlft1culty would lie in running against
a major political party organization
ana organization counts in elections,
La Toilette Recalled.
One progressive Republican, former
Senator Robert M. La Toilette, jr., did
abandon his old party moorings and
iYrHoYoy,lnvHk
In 1884. But he won at time when
the Republican Party in his State,
Wisconsin. was fiat on its back. At
that time, too. Senator La Toilette
moved over to be a leader in the new
Progressive Party of Wisconsin, along
with his brother. Phil La Toilette
who became Governor. And Senator
La Toilette had the blessing of the
then President Franklin D. Roosevelt,
Democrat. The La Toilette name, be-
cause of the fame of "Old Bob" was
one to conjure with in Wisconsin
politics. But the fact that there was
La Toilette Progressive Party, with a
closely knit organization, was a real
help. In 1910, Senator La Toilette was
again elected as Progressive Later,
however. the Progressive Party hit the
toboggan. In 1916 Senator La Toilette
sought to return to the Republican
Party and ran for its nomination to
the Senate. Because Of the violent
opposition of many of the old line
Republicans, La Toilette was defeated
in the primary-by Senator Joe
Mccarthy.
Another progressive Republican, who
like Morse would not 60 along with his
party's presidential nominee, was the
late Senator George Norris of Nebraska.
And when Senator Norris decided to
run neither as Republican nor a
Democrat, but as an independent,
Norris was defeated, much to his
surprise.
One-Man Party.
Speaking in the Senate. Senator
Morse yesterday virtually dubbed him
self a one-man party in that body.
His statement was made in connection
with his demand that he be granted his
old committee assignments on the
Armed Services and Labor Committees
not as Republican or as Democrat,
but as an independent minority. X
happen to stand alone in the Senate"
he said, "but there are thousands like
me across the country. In my Judgment
their number is going to increase.
also venture to predict their number
will increase in Congress-" This seems
to imply the possibility Of new,
independent third party.
The Oregon Senator made it clear
he wanted no favors at the hands Of
the Senate Republicans, and that he
did not want to be assigned to COM
mittees by Republicans. Apparently.
the Republicans are not inclined to
grant him such favors, particularly
since they feel that his membership
on these important committees would
put in jeopardy Republican control of
the committees. In an almost evenly
divided Senate, with the Republicans
having q majority Of one in COM
mittees. it is easy to understand their
attitude.