Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 272, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 December 1917 — PARTIES MAY FORM COALITION [ARTICLE]

PARTIES MAY FORM COALITION

TAFT, HUGHES AND ROOSE* VELT SAID TO BE FOR IDEA—- * .PRES. AGAINST ‘SLACKERS’ It has come to the notice of the officers of the national committees of the two old political parties that the anti-war Socialists in various districts of the country are already making plans under which they hope to gain possession of a considerable number of seats in the congress to be elected next year. While eleven months must elapse before one-third of the senate is to be chosen and a new house of representatives elected the men connected with the old party committees who are thoroughly imbued with Americanism feel that it is none to soon to begin to prepare to meet this menace of antiwar socialism. Some informal conferences on the subject have already been held, numerous letters have been exchanged, and there is now the possibility, even the probability, of a joint conference sooner or later, of representative* of the two old political parties to take up the question as to how this new problem shall be met.

In an informal way, it has already been proposed that wherever there seems to be the slighest prospect of an anti-war congressional candidate being elected the old political parties shall combine on a candidate. This proposal a. little later will be considered formally by both the Republican national committee and the Democratic national committee, and also by the Republican congressional committee and the Democratic congressional committee. Party leaders who feel that there can be ao more important duty at this time than to keep anti-war men out of congress are urging that the whole subject be dealt with in good time. It is pointed out that in some localities congressional nominations will be made early in the new year and that whatever is done should be done within the next t\vo or three months.

It is confidently believed that the two national committees can come to an agreement under which the two old parties will act as a' unit wherever it is necessary to keep an anti-war candidate out of the congress. The congressional and national committees, it appears, may not be so willing to accept the plan that has been proposed. Bven in the national committees there are some "small fry” politicians who, it is understood, do hot look with favor on unity of action, but with the seriousness of the war situation gradually drawing on the country, it is confidently believed here that when the senatorial and congressional elections come on next fall the one overshadowing question that voters will ask will be, "Are these candidates all sound on the war?” It is becoming more and more certain that thoughtful people every where will stand for the return of every congressman who has faithfully supported the prosecution of the war and oppose all who have “trimmed” or fallen short, and will do this regardless of party. 7 If this sentiment continues to grow, as it no doubt will, as the months go by, there will be small chance for the “slacker” candidate for the congress

Fred B. Lynch, of Minneapolis, chairman of the executive committee of the Democratic national committee, who was here today, said that the of thd two old party committees were now trying to get a joint conference on .this "whole sub ject some time next month. The chairmen of both the old party committees, so it was said today, are in favor of the plan under which combination on war candidates would be made. K fa also said on excellent authority that Charles E. Hughes, who' was dent last year, will in time openl the Republican candidate for Presicome out for this plan and that former Presidents Roosevelt and Taft have both favored it. President Wilson, so it was said on the. best of authority today, feels that it is of the highest importance that no “slacker” be elected to the new congress, and also feels that plans looking to this outcome should be prefected without delay.