Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-10-10

~ ing and sidestepping and
~ feeling out" of other is
sues. It now becomes ap-
parent that during tho final three
weeks of the campaign there 10 to
be but one major issue before the
American voters-and that Is the
league Of nations covenant.
From all parts of the country
there come to The Star reports
from it's special political CORE
spondents to the effect that the
week just ended has seen the
league displace all other questions
in popular interest. President Will
sons appeal to the people to sup
port the covenant. the controversy
between the President and Senator
Spencer Of Missouri over the obli-
cation to send armed forces
abroad, and Senator Harding's fiat
declaration that he opposes the
United States becoming a member
of the league all have served to
accentuate the issue.
X X x
Even in states where local
questions had overshadowed the
national campaign there appears
to have been a sudden awakening
to the fact that President and
Congress are to be elected in No
vember In New York, two weeks
ago, the voters were keenly inter-
ested in the contest for governor
and United States senator, but the
presidential race was something In
which they seemed to have only an
academic concern. But all this is
changed today. Even the candi-
dates for state offices are chal-
longing each other to declare their
positions on the league of nations
and other national questions. and
the people are discussing these
questions among themselves on the
street corners and other places of
assembly.
The Albany correspondent OF The
Star thinks this awakening of in
terest in the national campaign is
benefiting the republicans more
than it is the democrats. There
had been indicated a drift of sem
timent favorable to Cox. but this
has been checked now, he says. and
Harding is out in front again.
There is general belief that were
the election held tomorrow Hard
ing would carry the state, but the
democrats have not given up hope
that there will be big change be-
tween now and election day. The
state is republican today by 300
900. but this claim meets with
nothing but derision in the demo
cratic camp. 1t is admitted, even
by republicans. that Gov. Alfred
Smith, democratic candidate for re-
election. is likely to pull through.
but Judge Miller, his republican
opponent. is gaining in personal
popularity and his chances are not
reckoned as hopeless. He was re-
garded as cold" proposition
when he started his stumping tour.
but has been gradually thawing
out, and the voters have been
thawing with him.
In Ohio President Wilson's entry
into the campaign has stiffened up
the democratic ranks. The Stars
Columbus correspondent finds no
ticeable signs of improvement, but
not enough. he believes. to over
come in three weeks the lead which
Harding undoubtedly has at this
time The republican management
is claiming that Harding will carry
Ohio by 100000 to 100000 plurality,
and predicts that the head of the
state ticket will win by not less
than 100000. But there is mingled
with this confidence a fear-two
fears, in fact. One is that repub-
lican voters, feeling sure of the re-
suit, may stay away from the polls,
and the other is that smoldering
factional troubles may break out
before election day. The Ohio re-
publican factions have been doing
a lot of knife-sharpening.b but there
has been tacit agreement that the
knives were not to be used until
after November 2. If the notion
that Ohio is surely and overwhelm-