Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-09-24
capitol Leaders Certain
Wilson Wants Third Term
If Treaty Is Defeated They Say, He Will Seek Elec-
ton as Vindication- Friends Claim He Is Only
Man to Carry League Until Solidly Established,

president admittedly will have a
great political triumph. The addi-
tional political prestige thus gained
probably will put the democratic
nomination within his grasp without
competition. In that event his
friends are prepared to insist that he
be the candidate, making the argu-
ment that he would owe it to the
people of the United States to face
the responsibility of guiding the
United States through any compli-
cations which might arise through
its entrance into the league.
On the other hand, if the repub-
licans succeed in putting through
their drastic reservations, the argu-
ment of Mr.. Wilson friends in ia
vor of his candidacy will be that
only with him as president will the
United States be able to persuade
the European nations that it would
be worth while to try the league
experiment on the terms demanded
by the United State to insure its
membership.
may want Vlndlcatlon.
In only one contingecy, many
think, is President Wilson likely
to take himself out of the race. That
would be the rejection of the en-
tire treaty by the senate. Even in
that event, if the rejection should
arouse any great degree of hostile
public opinion, the president might
seek a denomination for vindica-
ton.
But if he should seek a renomina-
ton under the last described cir
cumstances, he undoubtedly would
have strong opposition in his own
party. The opposition most probab-
ly would center around Senator
James A. Reed of Missouri, the
chief democratic opponent of the
league and the most severe of Presi-
dent Wilon's critics.
Senator Reeds denunciation of the
president in his speech in the senate
yesterday was so scathing that many
of the politicians of the capitol
thought the Missouri senator was
deliberately putting himself in line
to be the anti-Wilson leader of his
party.
If the president should go down
to defeat in his treaty fight Senator
Reed undoubtedly would loom up
formidably as candidate for the
democratic nomination. His speech
in the senate was generally recog-
nized as one of the ablest analysis
that has been made of the treaty by
any of its opponents. Therefore, if
the treaty be beaten, or even dras-
tically amended, and public senti-
ment approved by the senate's ver-
dict, Senator Reed would naturally
command great influence in his
party. He has been speaking
through the country to great audi
ences and his fine presence, elo-
quence and his high ability unques-
tionably have made him many
friends and a host of admirers. So
the democratic situation appears to
be that if President Wilson wins
his fight he will either take the
nomination himself or force upon
the convention hand-picked candi-
date, and if he loses his fight, chanc-
es will favor Senator Reed.
Republican Nomination.
The republican nomination for
president will be determined by the
superiority of the conservative or
radical wings of the party in the
convention. If the radicals control
the convention it now appears most
probable that Senator Hiram John
son of California will be the no1ni-
nee. Senator Johnson has been a
leader in the fight against the rati-
fcation of the treaty. His recent
speaking tour of the country on the
trail of President Wilson has been
great success. Everywhere he
spoke he had meetings which COM
pared favorably in size with those
which greeted the president. He
unquestionably has gained immense
political prestige by his tour.