Evening star., 1914-09-21
WILSON IS NEUTRAL
|NNEW YORK FIGHT
Opposed to Murphy, But Will
Not Interfere in Primaries,
1t Is Said.
EMBARRASSING, BUT NOT
AN ACUTE SITUATION
President Expected to Keep Hands
Off and to Accept Winners
at the Polls.

While it is admitted that an embar-
RAISING situation has arisen in demo-
cratic politics in New York over the
rival candidates. for the democratic
senatorial and gubernatorial nomina-
tions, democratic politicians in Wash
ington, of national prominence, are not
disposed to despair that it will become
acute.
On the surface it appears that be-
cause Democratic National Chairman
McCombs favors the candidacy OF Gov.
Glynn and Ambassador Gerard for gov
ernu~ and senator. respectively, while
President Wilson is assumed to prefer
John y. Hennessey and Franklin D.
Roosevelt, therefore a split is immi-
nent between the administration and
the national chairman.
Well informed politicians, however,
do not jump to. violent conclusions in
the circumstances. They point out
that this is for the present merely n
family affair within the democratic
party, being 2 contest at the primaries.
In line with democratic principles, it
IS anybody's privilege. they say, to go
into the primaries to seek office or sup
port their preference for office.
Wilson Opposes Murphy.
1t is known to all that President Will
son has deprecated the power of Boss
Murphy of Tammany Hall in demo-
cratic politics in New York, especially
in the affairs of the party outside the
particular domain of Tammany. That
fact was made plain il the mayoralty
campaign, when men close to the Presi
dent fought Murphy and brought about
the election of Mayor Mitchell and the
bipartisan city government.
1t would be entirely consistent, there
fore, it is argued, for President Will
son to withhold Endorsement of the
Glynn Murphy combination while there
are in the field two candidates whose
platform is opposition to Murphy, in
line with his own attitude heretofore.
But stress is laid upon the fact that
the President has not openly indorsed
Hennessey and Roosevelt. The fact
that Mr.. Roosevelt is an official of his
conclusive proof that the President
backs his cadidacy for the senatorial
nomination, but it is pointed out that
the President could hardly have pre-
vented MIR. Roosevelt from running un-
less he dismissed him from office, and
that would have been a solecism, in
him for openly espous-
ing cause acceptable to the President.
1t Is further pointed out that Ambas
sador Gerard is also an appointee of
buked for joining i'll the Glynn- Murphy
combination.
President Is Neutral.
So. as the case stands, it is said by
national democrats here, the President
is compelled to maintain an attitude of
no matter which way his
sentiments incline. To openly break
with his national chairman, McCombs,
would be rank violation of neutrality,
1t is said.
But over and beyond these considera-
tions. it is claimed. is the further fact
that this is but the preliminary skir-
mish and that assuredly the President
will not take sides after the primaries
If the G1ynn-Gerard-M Murphy combina-
tion wins at the primaries, that ticket
will be the democratic ticket, and the
President will be expected to support
it for the final test at the polls. To
discipline or rebuke those who put it up
would not be very effectual support, it
is said.