New-York tribune., 1920-10-18
Given
Missouriby by
$4,000 Votes
Continued from pase sns)

(Cenunued from page ene)
tee and has virtually stripped. Jake
Babler, the National Committeeman Of
all power save his mere seat in the
National Committee. Strenuous efforts
have been made to force Babler to re.
slgn' but he has not yet done so.
Pressure is still being brought to bear.
incidentally a resolution of censure
was passed and made public.
What might be called the better ele
ment of the party has also been trying
to get rid of Livingston Morse, the
boss of the Sd Congressional District.
and beyond doubt his influence, never
actually important outside of his own
Congressional District but much ex
aggerated in popular belief outside the
state, has been reduced to practically
nothing.
Morse has been making strenuous ef-
forts to keep in the limelight. For in
stance, he boarded the Harding train
and rode down to Oklahoma Missouri
republicans told me it was very obvious
that the presence of Babler and Morse
on the train worried the Harding party.
s~]"N VAASAA a uiIHCI WAY given IN Okla-
homa City Babler and Morse were taken
care of at a separate affair
Another angle on the Republican
management is that in Kansas City, the
regular machine leaders were unhorsed
in the primaries. Whether the machine
will now do its best work is one of the
doubtful elements which make the
situation so interesting.
Reed Is Storm Center
Senator James A. Reed, the first
Democratic irreconcilable on the peace
treaty, is the storm center of the Demo
cratic trouble. Mr. Reed was nominated
unanimously by the delegates from the
Kansas City district to the state con-
ventlon to be delegate to the national
convention. The state convention, by a
to l vote, refused to send Reed to
San Francisco, and the National Com
mttee and the national convention
itself sustained the refusal to recog
nlze Reed. The whole fight centered
not on the merits of the case at all, but
on Reeds opposition to President Will
son on the treaty issue. So Reed went
back home from the Pacific Coast to be
greeted by mass meeting of $4,000
persons, which promptly passed resolu-
tions expressing scorn and contempt of
the national convention.
Then came the battle for the Demo
cratic Senatorial nomination. Mr..
Reeds term runs on for two years
longer, but two years ago, through a
Democratic split, Senator Spencer. Re-
publican, was elected over Joseph w.
Folk, the Democratic nominee, for the
remainder of William J. Stones term.
The present Senatorial election is for
the full six-year. term.
Senator Reed backed Judge Henry S.
Priest, of St. Louis, while the Wilson
men centered behind Long. Long was
nominated after very bitter campaign
by a rather small majority. Priest
piled up a vote disconcertingly large
to the Administration following after
the treaty" Now the question remains,
How many of the men who voted for
Priest because they hated the treaty
are going to cross the party line and
vote for Spencer rather than have a
Senator committed to the league with
out reservations? Also, how many of
those same Democrats are going to
vote for Harding and how many for
Cox?
The meeting where 1892 Democrats
voted to support the Republican ticket
is interesting in this connection.
On the eve of Harding's visit to st.
Louis Judge Priest came out for the
entire DemocraticStickct in a statement
which is not calculated to inspire the
Democra with enthusiasm, Many of
his friends are admitting rather openly
that they are going to vote the Repub-
lican ticket.
Plenty of Money Spent for Long
The distinct impression is that the
Democratic organization has thrown
Cox and Roosevelt overheard and is
making its fight for Senator and Gov
ernor, with more emphasis on the SEN
ator. There is plenty of money being
spent in Longs behalf, and it is said
there will be great deal more spent
between now and Election Day. 1t is
this money which is the most serious
threat against Senator Spencer.
There are whispers, too, that the
Long supporters will be willing to trade
any way at all in order to- get votes for
Long. These are the reasons that most
observers estimate it will be necessary
for Harding to carry the state by 25,
900 or better in order to pull Spencer
through. If Senator Reed should come
out for Spencer on the league issue no.
one seems to think there would be any
doubt of Spencer's election.
Reed has hired hall for Wednes-
day night so that he can speak with
out any obligations whatever, and he
intends to announce his position. The
belief is that he will make his attack
on the league, but then announce that
he intends, as regular Democrat, to
vote for the ticket from top to bottom.
This speech will not do the Democrats
any particular good, nor will it change
the situation as described. since that
seems to be Reeds present position.
So that the only deviation from the
program expected is one that would
hurt Democratic chances in Missouri
even more.