Evening star., 1920-09-02
WH|RL WIND FINISH
IN CAMP PA|GN SEEN
BY ALL POLITICIANS
BY N. O. MESSENGER.

That old associate Of former cam
likely to bob up pretty soon in dis
'cussiens Of the current political con-
test. Looks as if it will have to be
a whirlwind finish, since il is now In
a dead calm. compared with previous
experience. the politicians grumble.
The democrats are admitted to have
especial grounds for complaint. They
ing to the testimony of National
Treasurer Wilbur w. Marsh before
the senatorial committee yesterday,
and the admission Of Chairman
White that he has not even appoint
ed his finance committee. Their dec
Ilarations may be somewhat surprts-
ing to the democratic politicians. who
have been aware of the elaborate
plans perfected by the national COM
mittee in New York for walloping
campaign. and the signs of activity
in preparations on mammoth scale.
Republicans Wonder.
The poor mouth" put up by the two
leaders causes wonderment among the
republicans and speculation as to
what the enemy may be driving at in
this policy. At first blush the repub-
licans assume that the democrats
may be intent upon Dresenting an os-
tensible contrast between heavtiy
financed campaign by the republicans
and a 'hard-up" campaign by the
democrats, with the ltiew Of accen-
tuating Candidate Cox's charge of un-
due use of money by, the republicans.
| One thing in the democrats favor
is that this year they will have vir-
tually only wo<months' campaigning.
while in 1916fthey had nearly four
months, being under way that much
earlier, so there will not be occasion
fer the use of such large sums In GER
tain fixed charges and overhead. The
republicans have already been al
heavy outlay for a month or more In
this campaign. but by the same token
thew have made that much more
It is a fact, however, that with both
parties the campaign Is backward at
this comparative stage. That Is ex-
plained to be in part due to the gen
eral spirit Of political apathy pre-
vaiiing throughout the country. to
" hich there has been frequent anim-
adversion. Thus again the conditions
appear to lead up to the necessity OF
a Whirlwind finish.
Fail to Understand.
Politicians are at a loss to under
stand why the democrats are 80 1ar
behind in collections. One OF the
cogent arguments put forward az
San Francisco in behalf OF Gov. Cox 8
nomination was that "we can get all
the money we can stun into q hogs
head with pitchforks." 1t was claim
ed that business men, with conn
dence in Gov. Cox's ability, would
come up with money eagerly and and
from the Wilson following would
stimulate interest in the national
ticket and bring in new blood, ana
that the taking over Of the demo-
cratic party by the northern element
would swell contributions.
The politicians are beginning to
wonder what has happened to these
roseate financial expectations, and
the question is being asked II the
democratic strategy is to hold back
until the Senate committee has shown
up the size OF the republican fund
and the paucity of the democratic
war bags and then have the faithful
come across handsomely in the clos
ing weeks of the campaign. The
drawback to that theory is. of course.
that such a holding would mean de-
paigning, which would be dangerous.
Predict Marked Change.
Many politicians here think there
of democratic campaigning within a
| week, and that the campaign fund
issue will be soft-pedaled. 1t is
noted that Candidate Harding, the
while Candidate. Cox has been stress
ing the campaign fund ISSUE has
| taken pains to dilate upon other
| questions. He has talked about do
mestic affairs, about conservation
about shipping and a number OF
things which are bound up in the
livered a broadside on. the league OF
nations, and next Monday is to put
| out a speech on labor.
Classed ms "Plain Bull"
| In the psychology of strategy the
republican managers are said to be
going upon the assumption that the
American people are not going te
believe that the great democratic
party is in danger of being controlled
by the liquor interests, for example
nor the republican party by unde-
sirable citizens seeking to capture
the bayonet to the breast of labor
but that both these allegations come
under the head of what National
| Treasurer Upham classed as plain
BULL" and soon will dismiss the
| charges as such
say they will be relieved when the
campaign comes up to the higher
levels of the plain issues before the
electorate and the voters will be given
opportunity to make up their minds
and present a Showdown" election
day.
In mixed group of politicians CAB
bling together uptown today. one
democrat observed. wonder what
President Wilson. from his eerie OF
seclusion and unlocking, thinks of the
way the league Of nations is being
subordinated by the new management
sof his paftyZ