Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-12-22
PREPARING FOR CAMPAIGN
DEMOCRATIC LEADERS
ARE NOW LAYING PLANS
VIII Meet Isxue or Militnrism. Which
ThcS Arc Confident vii lie
RrisrN.
nY j.. EnEDERIrI> EssAuY.

bl u. F1tI:DE:fSItIN
MASlilEGTON. Deg 2l.-Dcmocratic
Dental aspirations are quietly laying
,hciE pians T." meet the issue % mill
tarism, which they know will be raised
IN more or less violcn, form If the
Republican party allows itself TO be
Htdmpcdca INTO nominating General
Ie3,,tfa WOOD or even General John
y. IcrStinS for the ~prcsidcncy.
And. IA these leaders have conceived
IL. ,nc bes', possible way to deal sue
csssfuiiy with . militarist!c policy in
OF a man whose program is the very
antithcs!s OF militarism. jingoism,
craftsmanship against MEXICO and
Japan ana all the other War-wiloopluE
which II straight military candidate
might be cS ncc;cd Ia play during the
contest.
They arc proposing among them
selves that their party rally itself be-
nina somc splendid constructive genius,
such as Herbert GOV some cxpcr-
:. McAdoo. or some strong Fighter
against domcstiy evils. sucl, as Attor-
n"y-c;encral y. Mitchell Palmer.
Hope Wood 1, Named.
II is a widc-opcn secret tina; the
Lar-sreins Democrats fcryently hope
Tor the nomination by the ~i;cpubl!-
cans OF Leonard Wood. Instead OF
""i"Wins WITH alarm" IN" widespread
started his campaign with. these Demo
'r.t" ask for nothinS better than n
chanc" 10 meet such ~ nominee before
the people and the opportunity To de-
patio with Him Tn" MY issues he is
SHOWN at his time to have any con
viCtionr upon.
All that General Wood stands for
NJ this moment. aside from the some
what vaEuc advocacy Of the policies Of
the late Theodore Roosevelt. is a pow
c!iul military establishment. the cx-
penditurc OF hundreds OF millions Of
dollars on national defense projects.
UNIVERSAL military service. vast naval
= FtIn "a ~ ~ a nj 81 ~ rlf y-a 40 80 49, re 60
possible wars OF the immediate O: re-
mote future.
The general may have views on
other public questions. hut IL he has
he has suppressed them 10 date. q
rae. which has given his friends more
or less concern. His excuse is that
as long as lie is III the arlnv he is not
n liberty 70 engage in political d!s-
cuss'on. and he has found it too soon
To- resign his commission In order to
some OF his admirers have hop"d thi,
he would commit enough nd!sCrcrions
10 force the War Department either
severely. reprimand him. either act he
ing sunic!en. to make him more o:
q marty. But The General ms not
not altogether appcalinE.
Wood Campaign Progressing.
However that may be. the Wood
campaign is going forward. u IS max
dacy in either PARTY which seems 10
hay" popular backin" both East anu
West. which is ~abundantl: financed,
which has skillfuliy planned %organizp-
non ana winch - giving the Democrats
a basis for calculation. II Is some
thing concrete: all other candidates. on
the Republican side ar" purely ncbul-
Gus. MS the administration forces size
And for that reason Democrats
leaders ar. preparing TO meet General
n III ~ - Pn al /, = 4, - 81
tract tho support Of all those powerful
clements which ar. opposed 20 a reign
eitEer OF radicaiism or mil,tarisrn. Gle
ments which are tired alike of nois,
'nroErcss!viam' and The rattle Of tie
sabcr. 80
The leaders seem firmly convinced
defeat O General Wood nex, November
man to defeat Il Calvin Coolidge or a
franz @. i.owdcn or 4 Warren Hard
TX; IN" acclaim with
~. tlhlc II" might h. nominated Thrv
aEh..e IHt' ms candidacy would i~nevit-
H.nacy OF Judge Hughes took .Sh..
,ur's; vas at Tho height OF his sircu.th
Ne DAY he vas nominated. ana WAS n.
J ~ 49,, point the day OF the election.
ilnpilSh as everybody now knows.
~ S"nS" of his inability to moo ~
NJ z" sn!ilp assaults anon his pdrty wbich
" "odrow wilson delivered once :, ~. !;
- AeHi' W la ~ III
Democratic Prospects.
Ana with a Hoover or even . No
Ah1" or Il Palmer on the Democratic
,ickr', u. is confidently believed in
yrm0cTatic circles that n candidacy Of
me Wood type would suffer the sam.
losses that Judge Hughes suffered as
u" caini.i!Sn progressed. That is WHY
INC administration forces are iudulc-
M the fond hope that Tho Wood can
nldacT viii! gain so much strength,
t!iht ms. party dare not deny him mo
"inlnht!on. They feel tina he can be
demolished, II any Republican can. in
M sort 81 a campaign which II mani
lrstiy SAFE and sane Democratic can.
d;hatc could make
~ can be stated, moreover, tina, one
liter another OF the Democratic Lead
,ra mere are figuring upon Hoover as
'nslr nest bet, whether Wood or SOM.
other man wins The Republican NOM.
nd'1"h. RE has tremendous personal
strength on the part of thc indrprnI"m;
N.'ciS OF the nation, and has grown in
general esteem since ,hc war ended in.
stead Of losing prestige, as in ,h. ciGc
Oh many other war figures.
me Mc:ldo" people. however. feel
mat in spii" OF some OF his mist afns
made since he retired from pubic li;,
~ c"uld make n strong appeal 10
me constructive forces of tho urtion
Attorney General Talmcr's admirers
.! ntinne 10 urge his splendid uualiica-
'ioHS. contcnding that he IS III, ouIv
i'"nocrat of national note who is grew
ing in strength as the DAYS ca Nv
and thar the country cannot TIii r.
sustain him for the enemies Ia i,,.