Omaha daily bee., 1919-06-29
SPLITTING FLEET
DECLARED TO Be
POLITICAL MOVE
Washington Believes Division
OF Navy Made to Turn West
In Favor Of World
League.
BY JUSTIN M'GRArH.

Washington, June 2s.-Politicians
here noted for their sagacity are
convinced that there was more than
naval strategy in the division OF the
fleet. They regard it as I political
move with these two objects in
view:
First-Solidifying sentiment in the
west in favor of the league Of ma
tons.
Second-Starting = boom for
Josephus Daniels for the democratic
nomination for president.
The first object is the one it is
thought President Wilson had main
ly in mind. The second object Sec
rotary Daniels is believed to hold
first in his thoughts.
Daniels Made Suggestion.
The suggestion of separating the
feet into two equal divisions and
putting one division on the Pacific
is understood to have come from
= Secretary Daniels and to have won
the immediate and hearty indorse-
ment of the president.
No knowledge is available Of the
arguments used by Mr.. Daniels to
convince President Wilson of the
advisability of the disposition OF the
feet, but the politicians at the capt.
tai have their own ideas on that
subject and they are very definite
and interesting ideas, whatever their
basis in fact.
Senator Johnson of California. the
man who carried the state by over
100000 votes when Hughes lost it, Is
one Of the strongest opponents in
the senate of the presidents policy
for a league of nations. Senator
Poindexter of Washington is an
other of the fighting opponents of
the league. Up to the time SEN
ator Johnson made his speech in
the senate against the covenant, the
sentiment in California had been
decidedly in favor Of the league.
Senator Johnson knew this and free
ly admitted it. But his speech work
ed a great change. Since he made it..
a boom has started in California to
get him the republican nomination
for president. Also. it is said,
through the influence of Senator
Poindexter, the tide is, turning in the
northwest against the league. SEN
ator Poindexter is relying on this
change to boost his presidential
stock.
Manifest to Cummings.
These developments on the Pa
cihc coast must all have been plain
" manifest to Homer Cummings,
the chairman of the democratic ma
tional committee, who has been
touring the far west. According to
the views of the politicians. Cum
mings probably apprised the admin
istration leaders OF the unfavorable
turn of sentiment on the Pacific
coast, and it was then Secretary
Daniels got his inspiration to divide
the feet, send one-half Of it to the
Pacific and take advantage of the
tremendous reception it is certain to
receive from San Diego to Seattle to
, do some propaganda work for the
league Of nations. This work will
be all the more effective in that it
will come coincident with the fight
in the senate after the president has
made his appeal for ratification.
In helping the league by accom-
panying the fleet to the Pacific
coast, Mr.. Daniels, it is figured will
also greatly help his own presiden-
tial ambition. The man to whom
the coast will be indebted for put.
ting 4 great fleet on the Pacific I'M
doubtedly will be the most popular
there. Already there is : strong
sentiment developing in the south
in favor of Mr.. Daniels candidacy.
If he can reinforce this with = de-
mand from the western democrats,
his chances Of getting the nomi1a-
ton will be excellent.
Every big movement in Washing
ton these days has > political mean
ing ali its own. It Is not always
discernible on first consideration,
but the political wiseacres may be
trusted soon to bring it into view.