AMERICAN POLITICS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 4, 5 July 1938, Page 10

AMERICAN POLITICS

NEW PARTY FORMED

LA FOLLETTFS OUTLINE

A new political party, the National Progressives of America, has been formed, Governor Philip F. La Follette has announced, reports the "Chicago Tribune." The new party is the outcome of group meetings held throughout the country in the last year, he told an audience of six thousand persons, mostly Wisconsin Progressives, who as- j sembled in the Livestock Pavilion of the University of Wisconsin. Those who believe in democracy have been in retreat since the World War, the Governor, asserted. The Republican Party, he declared, has become a symbol for the devastation, humiliation, and suffering of reconstruction. Progressive leaders within the Democratic Party,1 he continued, are only an outer fringe that acts as window' dressing. Dissension within the Democratic Party itself has sabotaged, under- : mined, and hamstrung the Administra*' tion, he added. ; The " details of the programme are ! yet to be adopted, the Governor said.! Six principles .are basic" in the new ] party, on which agreements already! have been reached, he said. They are: j "First: The ownership and control of money 'and credit, without qualifica-1 tion or reservation, must be under1 public and not private control. I "Second: The organised power of, this nation must stop at nothing short of necessary steps to restore to. every American the absolute right to earn! his living by the sweat of his brow. I NEEDS MODERNISING. "Third: We believe in the basic concepts of American- Government and,, in particular, that grants of power al-j ways should be safeguarded against t abuse. Our present Governmental sys-; tern is in sad need of modernising.- One important step is to grant the executive branch power to get things done —to get to work on the problems of agriculture, business, and industry. We have demonstrated in Wisconsin this can be done with ample guarantees against arbitrary or dictatorial abuse of such power. "Fourth: Those who work on the farm and in the city must be given security, not a> security founded on producing less for more, or working less for more. We propose security founded on a definite, decent annual income for all, measured by our contribution both in quality and quantity. "Fifth: We flatly oppose every form, of coddling,, or spoon feeding the American people—whether it be those on - relicf —whether it be farmers or workers —whether it be business or industry. No. Government on earth can successfully manage, regulate, and direct the numerous details that make for healthy families or successful business. Like our forefathers, we will use every power of Government to open the frontier of this age. r "We will build stockades and forts to protect industrious producers from raiding squads—we will use its might to cut through the modern underbrush of worn-out debts. We • will use without hesitation its authority to suppress the modern counterpart of the savages—those stupid people who deny others access to materials that they themselves do not know how rightly to use. A CHANCE TO HELP HIMSELF. "Whatever it may cost —so help us God—we shall use the power of these United States to restore to every American the opportunity to help himself. After that, he can sink or swim. "Lastly: We believe that this hemisphere—all of it—was set aside by our Creator for the ultimate destiny of man. Here —a vast continent was kept virgin: for centuries. Here it was ordained thatvjnan should work out the final act in the great drama of life. From the Arctic to Cape Horn let no foreign Power trespass. Our hemisphere was divinely destined *to evolve peace, security, and plenty. It shall remain inviolate for that sacred purpose." - i Governor: La Follette followed' his copy closely, reading his speech, adding few gestures. Applause was polite. It swelled when he announced the new party. r ' ■ "This is no popular front, no gathering of befuddled Communists, no conglomeration .of conflicting forces who seek us out merely because they are embittered or-, disgruntled; embittered Republican reactionaries please note; disgruntled Democratic reactionaries please note.". The party starts with a symbol not unsuggestive' of Hitler's swastika. It was displayed < conspicuously at the back of the speaker, a red circle on a white background, with a square blue cross in the centre. The cross, La Follette explained, Is the cross of the ballot box. The circle, he. said, symbolises the uniting of the American people. The Governor's announcement was the climax of a series of'radio addresses a week before. It was distinctly a Wisconsin meeting. The absence of nationally-known Progressives was conspicuous. Mr. A. A. Berle, assistant Secretary of State, who said he came with the permission of the President and as ~ the representative of Mayor F- H. La Guardia, of New York, was the only guest from' outside the State who was publicised by the La Follette committee. HIDES HIS OWN PLANS. What the, Governor himself .intends to do politically in the immediate future still was left unexplained. His speech contained no reference to his programme and whether he will run for a fourth term as Governor, for the United .States Seriate, or whether he will retire to give his full time to the National Progressives. Although in his radio addresses, the Governor had been sharply critical of President Roosevelt, • there was no adversely personal reference in .his speech. There was, instead, praise for his leadership. "If the task before us could have been achieved by brilliant leadership supported by great popular confidence and affection for that leadership," he said, "then the job would have been done long ago under the 1 Administration of President Roosevelt. Virtually every Democrat holds his office because of that leadership. It is dissension within the Democratic Party that has caused the trouble."