Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-09-23
LEAGUE 0F NATIONS
ISSUE MAY SWING
CALIFORNIA TO COX
3urpriSe Furnished Four
Years Ago Likely to Be Re-
peated If johnson Upsets
Situation
By DAVID LAWRENCE


SANTA BARBARA, Cal, Sept. 81
California furnished a surprise four
years ago. It may furnish another
this year if Senator Johnson chooses
to upset situation which today looks
like a majority of at least 100000
for Senator Harding.
To understand the miX-up it must
first be stated that normally south
ern California furnishes the heavy
Republican vote to overcome the
Democratic strength in San Fran
cisco and northern California.
But this year northern California,
especially with it's Irish vote in San
Francisco, has listened to the argu-
ments of Hiram Johnson and press
friendly to his viewpoint on the
League of Nations, while southern
California has been strongly in favor
Of the league and the majority of
the newspapers of influence have
taken that attitude.
Thus Senator Johnson, who always
has been popular in southern Cali
fornia. lost it decisively to Herbert
Hoover in the May primaries because
southern California is for the league.
Wanted Hoover
When Senator Harding was nomi-
mated southern California was disap-
pointed. 1t wanted Hoover. When
Senator Harding first announced his
views on the league, and men like
Taft and Hoover expressed them
selves as satisfied, the friends of the
League of Nations in Los Angeles
wiz al
Senator Harding began to show
signs Of accepting Senator Johnson's
ideas on the league question, an I'M
dercurrent of disaffection developed,
cepted the situation with evidences
of discomfort and restiveness. ..
They areH for the time-being, sub
merging the issue, but are hopeful
that Senator, Harding will yet take
a more sympathetic attitude toward
the situation ran on without the rails
ing of new causes for controversy in
side the Republican party.
But Senator Johnson is not dis
posed to let well enough alone.
Either he believes that southern Cal
:fornia can be converted to his view
point on the league or he sincerely
believes he should campaign through
out California and drive home the
Interpretation OF Senator Hardings
Anyway. they say they do not
want Senator Johnson to speak in
southern California. Somebody ar
.anged meeting for Los Angeles
assxt Saturday night, to follow that
ti.e instruction of the Republican ma
tional committee or perhaps Senator
Johnson was permitted to speak
where he pleased in California.
But the truth is the Republicans
1s -Y<aSr, l., Ia - L.
Republican national committee to
keep Johnson out of southern Cali
fornia. Elmer Dover, regional di-
rector on the Pacific coast for the
Republican national committee, has
been in Los Angeles the last few
days checking up on the situation,
and 1t is understood that he has adj
vised Will Hays it might be more
discreet to ask Senator Johnson not
to speak about the league in Los
into the section at all.
Mr.. Dover has been told that as
things now stand the situation from
Republican viewpoint is excellent,
and that if the league issue does
not. drive Republicans into a war
inside the party, the majority in
southern California will. be upwards
Of 100000.
Many staunch league supporters
resent Johnson's coming, and if he
certain to be a mass-meeting by
friends of the league as an answer
ing demonstration.
This is exactly what the Cox
Roosevelt supporters would like to
see happen, for anything that dis
mt the Democrats, whose candidate
is outspokenly for the league and
has lately said he would accept any
compromise reservations that might
q in fha
Some Republicans of prominence
told the writer they would not dare
to predict what would happen in
California if Senator Johnson arous-
ed the voters of the southern part of
the state on the League of Nations
issue. 1t seems hardly possible for
Governor Cox to acquire enough
strength to carry southern Califor-
mia but If he cuts down the expected
large majority which Los Angeles
If the continued effect of Cox's
speeches in San Francisco is to re-
gain the Democratic vote in north
ern California, the state might yet
turn another somersault. -
1t was the Hughes visit to Los
Angeles which started a feud and
gave the state to Wilson in 1915.
The issue then was progressivism.
Southern aClifornia was solidly be-
hind Johnson and resented Hughes
time the issue is the League of Ma
tons and southern California has
shown by it's primary vote that it
disagrees with Johnson.
$40 inject the league issue in
southern California" said a Repub-
ican of great influence here, "is to
deliberately invite Republican disas-
ter and defeat"
The writer is sending this dis
patch while travelling northward to
Attend the Republican state conven-
ion at Sacramento, where Hiram
Johnson formally opens his cam
paign for Senator Harding and
where the other point of view on
his question will be sought.