The Tribune. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1951-19??, 1957-01-05
WATCH 4 Ss POTOMAC"
By Robert G. Spivack

Where Liberals go THE New Year is here
going recently asking various Democratic Party
leaders what the future holds for their party
interviewed tired dsgusted angry their colleagues
and on the whole, barren of new thoughts.
Perhaps such intellectual excursion is a fruitless
venture to begin with because American politicians
ws y G ~ ee od they hte s of where they
by which they expect to get there
like Kefauver inartculae when it comes
in ordinary conversation to explaining what makes him tick
the newspapermen who covered him his campaign from
day to day They away liking him, even his little
awkward gestures and slips of the tongue.
On the other hand there is the political personality
of Wayne Morse Morse of the most artcuate and
frsrate politician as the results Oregon
bore out HIS pedantc attitude may bother some members
House, but it seemed not to bother the voters at ALL
Morse has pretty clear ideas where the Demo-
Gratis ought to go from this point on The first order
to return to fundamental principles.
What are these principles? That the partys first
concern should be with social justice The place where
the Democrats have lost ground this front field
of civil rights The second principle that the party should
making ambitions of privileged few. Another way
OF business on his agenda gather that the party ought
nue to oppose the tendency of Big Business to get bigger
Bringing the New Deal up to date-The biggest prob
lem for the Democrats is to moderize streamne
ideas which brought the New Deal existence The
tnuance of the brand Of political leadership supplied in
extent, the aging House Speaker Sam Rayburn.
But there are people who thinking ex
permentlng in the field of politics. In subsequent columns
as their ideas je shall have occasion to make further
reference to them.
One idea beginning to take hold, that election
passions dying down. is that the small band
liberals must begin to make with
Republicans many issues possible.
Sens. Douglas and Humphrey made bones about this
In issuing their liberal manifesto particularly the
matter OF curbng the takathon permitted by Senate Rule
r. Without the help of modern Republicans they said
there was no hope of putting civil rights legislation
the 85th Congress. And they right.
Allies in enthusiastically Sen Potter of Michigan
who is sometime liberal GOPer has joined forces with
Douglas and Humphrey. Sen.-elect Javits New
probably WILL too Sens Case of New Jersey and Cooper
of Kentucky likely to join the anti-fibuster fight
The fact is that these "moderns" in the Republican
Party feel just about lonely and isolated their
cratic conterparts Only they have few friends in the
Administration whereas the Democratic liberals get little
encouragement from the Texas leadership.
In any event there about 10 IL real "moderns
in the Senate With the division between the parties so
close they exercise power if they stick together
and are decisive.
The first test will be civil rights comes aid to
small business and after that curbng the power the
giant utilities who grabbing up resources
Their work is cut out for the moderns" Those 'nde-
pendent voters, who proved how little party lines meant
to them in 1856, will be watching Washington closely to
see how they meet the tests