The evening world., 1920-08-25
HUGHES AND TAFT
ON BENCH AGAIN
IF HARDING WINS
Washington GosSipS Say They
Would Fill First Vacancies
in u. S. Supreme Court.
BY DdUid Laurence.
Especial Correspondent Of The Eve.
ninn WorlhN


and William Howard Taft probably
win be appointed TO the frst two va
cancies on the Supreme Court OF the
United States that may occur after
March 4 next in the event that SEN
ator Harding is elected President
This Il the impression in well-in-
soHned quarters here whore IL is
also stated rather positively that
there will be at least two vacancies
before long on the bench Of the high
est court in the land. The certainty
that Messrs. Hughes and Taft would
be the CHOICE OF a Republican Pres
ident Il based upon logical circum-
stances as we'll as the known friend
ship and admiration which Senator
Harding has for the two men who
have contributed 80 much toward
the Republican cause In the past.
Mr.. Hughes was on the bench,
happy and contented, when the call
Of the Republican Party came in 1916.
He was reluctant 10 be a candidate.
He didn't lift a finger to get the nom
inhtion. Indeed. II was feared he
would not accept and the story goes
that Mr.. Taft who originally ap-
pointed Mr.. Hughes to the bench.
spent the evening before the Chicago
nomination with Mr. Hughes In
Washington and persuaded him to
fight and was defeated. 4Iis return
to private practice has been iuarative
but those who know Hughes best say
he has been hOmesick for the Su-
preme Bench.
Az for Mr Taft, there was vacan-
cy on the bench just before Justice
Clarke OF Ohio was appointed, and the
friends OF the Republican ex-President
wrote many a letter to President Will
son urging him 10 appoint Mr.. Taft
The White House OF course never
makes any comment on these things
but at the time considerable gossip
ran around the national capital to the
effect that Mr.. Taft had fallen out OF
the good graces OF the President be-
cause OF the support which he (Mr.
TafD gave toward the movement for
the election OF a Republican Congress
in 1918.
The political fortunes OF Mr.. Taft
and Mr.. Hughes have been bound to-
gether for many years The elevation
Of Gov. Hughes 20 the Supreme Bench
came in October 1910, at time when
gossip had it that Mr.. Taft was en-
deavoring TO remove from the political
horizon his most serious contender for
denomination in 1912.
Both Mr.. Taft and Mr.. Hughes by
their published statements and com
municauons took a stand on the
League OF Nations before the Chicago
convention met this year, which dif-
fers materially from that since ad-
vanced by Senator Harding. Il Is
no secret that the Republican
nominee and his political associates
have been more or less anxious about
the dilemma Or men like Mr.. Taft or
Mr.. Hughes or Mr., Hoover, who had
committed themselves TO Views quite
opposite 70 those Of Hiram johnson.
On the other hand. the political
advice that has been given the Re
publican nominee Is that the Hlrum
Johnson View Is at the moment IL
better vote-getting position. His
worries about the other elerhenta in
the Republican Party have caused
many a conference. The feeling here
is that the consultation with Mr..
Hughes means somewhat OF a turn
toward the Hughes-Taft position on
the ratification OF the treaty OF Vcr
sRilles rather than as some Demo-
Gratis here would have it--a bid for
their support on the expectation OF
appointment TO the Supreme Court
later on.
Neither Mr.. Taft nor Mr. Hughes is
the type OF statesman to whom prom
ises OF reward would appeal In a
matter so vital to them as the
League OF Nations Issue, and Senator
Harding is considered here too high
grade an individual to play that kind
of politics.
SO the general Inference which is
being drawn by those who are in a
position " know what Is going on in
side the Republican camp is that
Senator Harding will soon make n
speech-prObably on Saturday next
ampllfying his League OF Nations
/ views In such a way as will command
/ the more hearty support OF those who
| have shared the views % Messrs
/ TAFT and Hughes.
The impression exists, too. that
| Senator Harding has been persuaded
! 10 believe that he will get the ''bitter-
/ ender" or 'irTeconcilable" support
4 anyway, and that he might aust az
/ well approximate the position that he
was In when he voted for the ratiA-
cation OF the Treaty OF Versailles and
the entrance Of the United States in
the present League OF Nations with
/ the Lodge reservations.