Evening star., 1920-10-12
DEMOCRATIC CAMP
PERKSUP ASHEADS
SEE SPLIT IN c. O.P.
Leaders Believe Republican
Voters Will Cut Party on
Pact Issue.
BY \. O. MESSENGER.

NEW YORK. n. Y, October L.
Around democratic national head
quarters things are perking up this
week right smartly. There is no.
ticeable atmosphere of increased hope.
not to say genuine optimism. They
are hearing some things which cheer
them. and they are getting campaign
money
Wandering around headquarters
trying to keep from under the feet OF
the bustling sublieutenants, l bumped
into 4 conference. and was made well
coAe by Senator Harrison of Missls-
Sippi. Senator Underwood of Ala bama,
Senator Gerry of Rhode Island and
Mrs. George Bass, the highly efficient
manager of the women'S bureau. They
all had good news to exchange. Then
Wilbur Marsh. the. treasurer. stuck
his head in the door and announced
that the mornings mail had brought
in $4,000 in COLLECTIONS, and Chair
man White said he Mad another bunch
of checks on his desk.
Whereupon along came Billy Coch-
ran of the publicity bureau with some
fine democratic news from Kansas.
and there was general rejoicing,
pleasant time being had by one and
all.
In point of fact the democrats at
national headquarters are. much en-
couraged over the drift of affairs. 1t
is a different-looking outfit from the
one l visited three weeks ago. before
starting for the coast. All the crepe
has come down. and there is a cheer
full bit of pink in it's place. Guess it
makes a lot of difference having
good. bank roll instead of bundle of
good promises.
What the managers see to encour-
~
republican party is split wide open
over the league of nations and that
between now and election day thou
sands of republican voters will find
their adherence to the league so COM
pellng and their conscience so convinced
that they will contemplate the alter
native of having to give support of
Harding to ease their mind on the
league.
See Trend of Events.
They know that every effort has
been made by responsible repub-
lican leaders to prevent this schism
occurring in the party. They have
seen Senator Harding leaning more
and more to the side of Senator Borah
and senator Johnson in their irrec-
oncilability to the league and knew
that the time was coming when the
republican candidate would probably
leave Root and Taft and Will Hays
and go over to the anti-league camp.
Now while the judgment'of some of
the republicans is that this course
on the part of Senator Harding will
prove popular in the end and really
strengthen the republican ticket the
democratic managers do not view the
prospect through the same glasses.
They hold with the President that
the league isythe thing and that it is
democratic Strategy to harp on the
10 al ri c1 a nd or nj nd
INCREASINGLY until the polls close.
There, rs the example of the essen
tial difference of viewpoint of men
on great questions. One of these
the wrong tree, as will be shown by
the voting, but neither thinks that
it is on the wrong lay.
= The democratic managers are con-
vinced that they will have to Offset the
of the people with the demo-
for change by presenting them some
definite isshe which can be classed as
moral issue. if possible. They realize that
there is this discomfort and clamor for
a change ond for while it has them
pretty well discouraged.
Bank on League.
Now l believe the calm Judgment of
the national management is that the
league of nations may stop the republi-
can landslide and give the democratic
national ticket chance. They are GER
tain they are going to carry the Senate,
from all reports they are getting. Any
how, they class their national prospects
as good one-to-four shot.
1t is noticeable that when democrats
speak of the possibility of winning the
election they couple the thought not
with Candidate Cox's campaign, not
with the success he may be making on
his tour but with President Wilson and
his league of nations.
So, while the republicans are asserting
that the country is down on the admin
istration and is peeved over the league
of nations. the democrats find them
selves compelled to go to President Will
son and to his league for all the rem
nants of hope they can gather.
Politics presents some interesting
paradoxes at times as well as making
strange bedfellows.