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Show PARTY LOYAXiTY' The time Is ripe for a great consolidation con-solidation within one party, provided we are able to build a framework, nation in its scope, economically sound aul also humanitarian, of the men and women who think in reasonable rea-sonable harmony with one anothei. The people want it. After years 01 political experimentation with blocs and factions, which for all of the good intentions of the promoters or participants, have only worked to increase in-crease the general confustion, and delay the application of real remedies, reme-dies, the people are inclined to a sober and saner line of thinking. I know from interviews and conferences conferen-ces with men of all parts of the country there is a general disposition ' to support a unified Republican or- 1 ganization. They appreciate that the hour.e divided against itself must fall ! and this applies to political organi- j zations. I All our efforts, and I am speaking plainly, will come to 'naught unlesr- we succeed in developing, not only; among the rank and file, but among the leaders and our duly elected oi-! ficials an appreciation of the nece9-! sity of party loyalty. No progress can be made without a program and no progress cam be made effective without loyalty. In Washington a man is either with a party or against it. There is no middle course. There is an absolute abso-lute necessity for loyalty; for the control of congress is regulated oy party lines aind cond'tions. It was m recognition of this situation, and not because of any feeling of personal person-al bias that certain gentlemen were lately stricken from the Republican rolls. I have no thought of a system of di.r.cipli'ne which seeks to encroacU on the rights of any man or woman to ;.-pir; or stand for office cr to ii.i .i ill. -ir rights to propose or od-j : , i-i;i.-!:-.t:ve or party programs.' :;.;t a iuuu who is elected to office ..a ii l;-:iiublirau platform must ,u.!,ii u:: thai platform. If he does not l.i:.-- the platform, he is justified and entitled to seek to make any cor r.-rvui or amendments which he de--,! -, But once thf majority of the jarty formally rejects his suggestion, sugges-tion, lis obligation is to accept that .'.H.-ision. There is no service more import-j : ant ;rad essential to our well being: in government than a sane,, whole-j i)tnc understanding participation in j utilities. j ' We have in recent years changed the form of our party machinery for jiho selection of candidates for public pub-lic office. We have very generally sub-1 sub-1 si tuted the primary for the repve-! repve-! v-ntative convention. We have sub--luutcrl the primary for the legislative legisla-tive election of United States senators. sena-tors. Thi change has brought about its problems. The old convention ; -yostem of nominations fixed the re-1 re-1 .sprmsibility upon the party and ex-I ex-I erled a definite party influence upon : the candidate. He realized his ac- 1 countability to his party, and he i knew definitely where his allegiance . lndongecl. j The primary system has given ain j opportunity for cunning men to use j the parly label in the primary, and ! thereby attract to their support the loyal members of the party. And it has enabled such men to gain a party i nomination, amd with the support of I'lho party, an election to important office, and in some instances, only to : repudiate the platform of the party and the nominees of the national convention.. Such conduct is reprehensible. repre-hensible. It is obtaining office by ; false pretense. And such practices should be condemned mot only by the nnrly organization, but by the people peo-ple whose confidence has been betrayed. be-trayed. But whatever the machinery In order to preserve party government which is so indispensable to efficient a dministratiom, men and women In their party affiliations, must be honest hon-est to the party and must be loyal. W. M. B. |