Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-09-01
COX|S WRANGL|NG
OVER MINOR ISSUE,
DEMOCRATS Think
Administration Leaders Dep
recate the Trend Their
Campaign Is Taking.
BY n. o. MESSENGER

Some administration democrats here
are disposed to deprecate the trend
which Gov. Cox is giving the issue
which he is now keeping in the
limelight, to. the subordination OF
others. They point out that the way
the thing is being handled the spec
tacle is presented Of the democratic
presid entail candidate engaged in q
personal dispute with the campaign
manager Of the opposition party.
with mutual recrimination and chal-
lenge of veracity.
AS the cards fall. they say. it is
Gov Cox against Will Hays. wrang-
ling over a rather sordid proposition
and not the leader of the great
democratic party cr4ss'ng 4ss gg.ojsnliean MGnas
party party on on issues Of paiA8ount i'm
portance to the country and IN which
the welfare of the 12pefld is likewise
to a degree involXed.
the election Yfll be held, and with
that decisive event SO CLOSE at hand
the campaign can hardly be said to
have gained headway. 1t Is admitted
that the greatest issue at stake be-
fore the voters, the league of nations.
may be regarded as fairly well can
x4ssed heretofore and presumably
Fgeneraliy understood by the elector-
ate, but it still must be kept con-
stantly alive. it is contended.
Harding Keeps Out OF 1t.
The democrats note that Candidate
Harding has kept strictly out of the
funds controversy, passing it up" to
his campaign managers as something
solely within their bailiwick, while
Gov. Cox, these administration men
say, has shouldered it personally. and
made it his own quarrel. not with the
republican party. or Candidate Hard
ing, but with mere official of the
party's management.
This consideration is entirely aside,
it is explained, from the question of
whether Gov. Cox has or has not
lighted on "a dead one" as an issue,
funds, and it is admitted to be ques-
ton at that. From the talk, any one
can hear around town, among men in
their ordinary routine when they halt
long enough to make a. passing re-
mark upon the charges and revela-
tions- which Gov. Cox is placing ahead
of everything else in his campaign.
it is apparent that the rank and file
are not united in the thought that
Gov. Cox has made a killing" with
his crusade People generally don't
seem to be excited over 1t. and a
great many think that his bolt has
fallen short of the mark.
Played Up by PRESS.
Some of the wise old owls of the
administration politicians here are
perturbed over the promptness. eager
ness-and they apprehend possible ef-
fectiveness-with which the republic
can press is playing up It's charges
that Gov. Cox is displaying tendency
to utterances Of q radical nature and
not supported by evidence. They realize
that Gov. Cox. being not widely known
outside of Ohio. is in a measure on
trial before the voters as to his char
acteristics as man with reference
| to- the confidence to be placed in him
fas an executive, should he be elected.
That realization was reflected among
some Of the Cox managers in New
York last week, as heretofore related,
so it is not confined to administration
sources alone. The suggestion has
| that Gov. Cox may shift his line of
attack when he gets fairly launched
on his western speech making tour on
urgent intimation from the "elder
| statesmen" Of the party.
Disposed to Play Own Hand.
Up to this time. however. Gov. Cox,
with the exception of the notable oc-
| casion when he visited the White
| House and coming away left the i'm
preston that he was travelling bag
and baggage with the President. has
| been disposed to play his own hand
in his campaign. 1t is recalled that
within fortnight thereafter his
manager. George W..tte. took occa-
sion to mitigate the impression made
and to claim for the candidate a de-
| gree of independence.
| The politicians are following with
| interest his essay ION his own hook"
and will note his future course and
Vice and Suggestion from some OF Of the the
| seniors who are at this time some
what agitated over the line the cam
] paign is taking.