THIRD PARTY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 100, 30 April 1938, Page 9

THIRD PARTY

IN AMERICAN POLITICS IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT (B, Telesr.ph—l’rei. Association—Copyright) Received April 29, 10.25 p.m. MADISON (Wis.), April 28. A movement o£ tirst-rate importance and having special significance foi Mr. Roosevelt’s own political fortunes, was launched to-night by Senator La Follette and his brothers, the senator and governor, when they formed the National Progressive Party, which is pledged to avoid equally old-fashioned Capitalism, Socialism, Fascism and Communism and to support so-called American Liberalism. rhe party, which hopes to have candidates in all States in 1940, is seen to represent a movement of revolt against the New Deal, which the La Follettes supported. Governor Philip, in announcing the formation of the Progressive Party, declared that the President's good intentions were being hamstrung by reactionaries and feudists within the Democratic Party itself and the new party would be distinct from both Democrats and Republicans. Philip enunciated five principles which, with the exception of the first, namely that the ownership and control of money and credit without qualification or rereservation must be under public and not private control, are merely promises for the economic betterment of the people. A platform will be drafted later.

The Progressives apparently represent the mid-western movement, which is principally agrarian and Labour in character, but they will attempt to reassure the safety of capital. This movement, which joined the Roosevelt forces, found itself frustrated on the one hand by the strong southern conservative groups and on the other hand by the so-called radical fringe, both of which are constituent parts of the Democratic Party.

It is not considered that the Progressives will be strong enough in 1940 to gain important positions, but they may seriously divide the strength of the Democrats and open the way to a Republican victory in the Presidency contest.