The sun., 1919-08-25


Lets the Home Folk Decide.
Senator Reed, now one Of the leaders
In the anti-league, anti-French treaty
and anti-Wllson preachment, took his
anti-Administratlon policy home to let
the Missouri folks decide for themselves
whether they were or we're not loyal to
Mr. Wilson. He packed theatres, halls.
auditorlums and meeting houses In his
tour of his home State and he left be-
hind him a Democratic party that had
all the steadiness of an over-ginned
negro.
1t was just about month ago that
Senator Reed returned to washington
from Missouri. The Democratic State
Committee began TO wonder where 1t got
Off II indeed 1t was supposed to get on.
Informal gatherings of it's leaders were
held. and II was the consensus of opin-
ion that the best thing TO do would be
10 do nothing but lay low awaiting de-
velopments.
The developments came suddenly. On
August Ben M Neale. chairman of the
Democratic State Committee, sent out
hurry call for a meeting of the COM
mittee to be held in st. Louis on August
H. He let It be known that the COM
Imittee would be asked to set itself upon
record regarding the League Of Nations.
President Wilson and Senator Reed. 1t
was more than intimated that President
Wilson and the league were to be In
dorsed and Senator Reed repudiated.
Just who inspired the meeting at such
time is still something of although not
altogether n mystery. Such meeting
was to be condemned by every rule of
good politics inasmuch as the Demo-
cratic voters OF Missouri were evincing
L. 80 v-tx
principles at the time. Moreover, there
are no elections this year in Missouri
Furthermore Missouri was not unlike
more than forty of the States of the
Union in that It was and Is more con-
cerned in the high cost of living than In
any other topic Of the times. 1t was, to
be brief, q splendid time to avoid tam
pering with dynamite. and there was not
politician in Missouri who did not
know that there was sufficient nom
partisan enmity toward the covenant
and other wilsonian idealisms to war
| rant forgetting them as political issues
in favor Of the more material and imme-
diate economic demands Of the country.
Sought to Discredit Reed.
Anyway, SO utterly successful had
| Senator Reed been in his tour of Mis-
souri, that there came from Washington
| (supposedly from Washington, at least)
demand upon the Democratic State
leaders to do something that would go
to some lengths to counteract the Reed
| anti-Wilson influence. 1t Is not I'M
likely that Washington had a mistaken
| idea Of Missouri's real temper and be-
| lieved that the notices Of the Reed sue
cesses were exaggerated. ..,.
Neale called the meeting to order in
| the old Planters Hotel In ST. Louis,
and almost Immediately the steam roller
| began to operate. A motion was made
and carried by a majority of one or
| two that all resolutions introduced
should be referred to committee Sc
lected by Mr.. Neale. That DONE, the
| Neale faction introduced three resolu-
tons. One extolled President Wilson
| in such eulogistic terms as to draw
smokers from many of the committee
men. The next nanegyricized the
Covenant of the League Of Nations as
boon to mankind and panacea for
all future International Ills. The third
roasted Senator Reed to cinder and
| called upon him to execute a sharp
| about face and embrace wisconsin
from boots to silk hat.
| But let's go back week.
Before Senator Reed returned to
VI
ocrats of Missouri. He adJured them
| to refrain from being hasty IN embrac-
ing the Administration doctrines until
the time came when 1t was no longer
| possible to avoid a stand At that
| time he told them they would need no
lguidance but would know the opinion
of the country and would repudiate
! President Wilson and all his interpa-
tionalisms. He told the Democrats this
not by way of plea but rather as a
warning. And just to make it plain
that he was not trying to convert the
Democratic party into his personal ma
! chine nor appealing to them for per-
sonal support, he tofd a party of infiu-
| ential business men In st. Louis that
| never again would he seek the nopina-
ton to tHe United States Senate on the
| straight Democratic ticket. He comes
UP for reelection in 1922. Just what
his programme Is remains problematical
He may join a third party. He may
lead faction OF such party as for
mer Senator Bailey of Texas is organic
ing in the latter State. He, Bailey and
other Democratic recalcitrants, may af-
flliate themselves with the strongest so.
called independent candidate for the
Presidency. That is neither here mol
1 there at present
Neale Warned of Danger.
And to show further that the meeting
was Ill advised:
When Neale sent forth his call for tn,
st. Louis meeting Wallace Crossley
acting Governor of Missouri, wrote 6
long letter OF reproach. He addressed
the letter to Neale. calling the latter!
attention to the danger of such a pro
ceeding. Crossley. one of the stronges
Democrats in the State. pleaded witt
Neale to leave sleeping dogs lie.
you have offered a fresh opportunity
In calling the ST. Louis meeting for thu
jangling OF sweet bells out of tune, fol
discord and discussion that is untimely, :
wrote Crossley.
In fact every bit of advice that Neal,
received from within the State bade hin
forget the meeting and let the. future
take care Of itself But he stuck to hi
orders as cited above.
Immediately upon the introduction o
the resolutions the meeting was in al
uproar To all intents and purposes tn
meeting ceased to be a meeting. De
bate and argument of the most acri
monious character succeeded order ant
decopum. The result was this:
/. virtual secession OF til Irish
American and Decentralization ele
ments from the committee.
2. general decentralization of tn
regulars who were whipped into lin
because they couldn't let go.
g. A declaration by a half dozel
/. county chairmen that they might jus
. as we'll shut up shop and let the Repub
Leans have the State.
The meeting was watched by man
mt.