New-York tribune., 1919-08-06
President Nav
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As 1920 Issue
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Congress to make a firm answer to
their demands.
morrow from the Senate Interstate
Commerce Committee, replying to let
ters to Chairman Cummins from Presi-
dent Wilson and Mr.. Hines, requesting
legislation to establish a wage board
The statement, it is understood, will
advise the Pres ident that in the com
mittee's opinion such legislation is un-
necessary, and that the committee be-
lieves he and the Director General have
all powers necessary to fix wages and
also rates during government operation
of railroads.
Another special meeting of the COM
mittee was called for tomorrow after
noon to consider the Presidents re-
quest and to receive a report from the
subcommittee.
To Abandon League Tour
Interesting in connection with the
reported hope of the President to
split existing parties is the infor-
nation from the White House
that because Of the rallroAd situation
the President will abandon his pro-
posed trip across the country on
of nations. Until the last few days, it
is said, the President believed the
league of nations would be the big
issue in 1920. Now the President has
assurances that he cannot put through
the league without reservations, no
matter what NAV be the results of any
stumping tour he may make, and he
has been told by no less authorities
than Chairman Homer S. Cummings
Of the National Democratic Committee
and Mrs. George Bass, chairman of the
the people are far more interested in
the cost of living than in the league.
1t should be admitted that the
President has been receiving advice
against making this tour even since
his return, even from such stalwa.t
friends of the league Of nations as
Senator Hitchcock, and that the trip
was in serious doubt anyway, but
the railroad situation was the final de-
termining factor. This, and not the
league, the Presiden. is said now to
believe, will be the issue in 1920, not
necessarily between the Democratic
and Republican parties, but between
party standing for the nationaliza-
tion of railroads and a party standing
against it-between the radicals and
conservatives.
His willingness to have this made
the issue, and his decision to stand
on the radical side. is no surprise to
Democratic Senators who have long
disapproved the Presidents appeals to
the radical wings of both old parties,
Republicans of both radical and con-
servative wings assert that the Presi-
dent, despite the confidence of his
supporters on the floor of the Senate
has been disturbed as to the
popularity of the league of nations,
and as to the popularity of the
Democratic party, by several recent
straws. Notably they point to the
election in the Eighth District-of
Kentucky. where King Swope, running
on straight Republican platform,
plus an nti-league of nations plank,
was elected by 2,1OO votes over Judge
Hardin, chairman of the Kentucky
Democratic committee, in district
which has been Democratic without a
single slip for a generation. This
was bye election following the death
Of Representative Helm.
May Urge Plumb Plan
1t is the confident belief in Congress
that the President will urge within
the next few days the passage of bill
similar to that introduced by Repre-
sentative Sims, of Tennessee, which is
virtually the Plumb plan for the demo-
cratization of the railroads.
"The test will then come" said a very
prominent Southern Democrat tonight.
I'VE will see how many Democrats Pres
ident Wilson can hold in line, in addi-
tion to the radical Republicans who
will be for it, and by that !es. we may
discover how much of the Democratic
party Mr.. Wilson will be able to hold
in what will be the uew radical party"
There are many who think the Presi-
dent expects the Republican majori-
ties in the two Houses to reject the
decentralization of railways, and thus
define clearly the issue on which the
country will be faced next year, the
Presidents party standing for it and
the Republicans standing against it.
This, certain friends OF the President
declare. would be excellent politics,
since if the present party labels were
retained the President could still count
on the solid South, while he would
wean away from the Republicans the
more radical element of that party,
easily enough, in the opinion of these
Democrats, to insure the victory of
President Wilson's party.