The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-08-16
HARDING SAVING
HIS POWDER
Will Wait Until Cox Has
Worn Himself Out and
Then Strike Hard
TALK TO EDITORS
VERY COMMONPLACE
Gave Them Absolutely Nothing to Help
Campaign-Republica Rely Large
ly on Sentiment Against Wilson to
Win Their Campaign.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Copyright 1920 by The Reformer)
MARION, o., Aug. 16-Senator War
rem Harding preached sermon about
honesty to the Republican editorial as
ISOLATION Of Ohio and called for an era
of honesty in everything I'm business, in
labor, in professions, in pulpits, in editor
ial rooms, and in circulation count
Then the Republican candidate went on
to say honesty was needed in politics, in
government in cur daily ives Believ-
ing that honesty begins at home, this
writer cannot fail to point out that the
paragraph witch Mr. Harding interjected
in his rather brief and vague speech OF
Is minutes was the nearest approach to a
concrete difference to the presidential
campaign which the candidate made
Any of the 80 editors who made the
pilgrimage to Marion expecting that on
this the first important occasion since the
Cox speech of acceptance, something vital
on the issues of the present campaign
would be forthcoming was disappointed.
At least he was disappointed if he hon
estIy told you his innermost thoughts
But anyone who is familiar with theI
strategy of the Harding campaign was
neither disappointed nor surprised either
at the fairness of the whole affair or the
fact that the Senator read q carefully
prepared manuscript in which not a sen
tcnce could have been suspected of del
icacy or indiscretion. For it is the plan
Of the Republican managers to have Sem
ator Harding keep in the background sol
far as possible until October LIST. TheI
game seems to be to let Governor Cox
wear himself out in the next six weeks
and to draw all his fire and then make al
drive during the month of October Just
a. runner makes a sprint in the last
lap of a long distance race. Harding
gives the impression of conserving his
energy for the final moments of the cam
paign when the advertising and publicity
campaigns viii be going at full blast
Anybody who knows Harding would adj
NIT that the Senator could have cast
aside his manuscript and made . better
impromptu speech which would have
thrilled the editors Of Ohio than he did
Nv reading a series of generalities that
drew at the end only perfunctory applause
and never a cheer louder than hand
clan. But the Republican candidate said
few words about the troublesome
newsprint situation. commented the in
nuence If the nress discoursed on hon
csty and wound up with peroration
about the freedom of the press. 1t made
little difference, however, what he said
for all the editors were strong for Hard
ing ready to boost him day in and day
out with the publicity which ? score Of.
press managers told them would flow ms
to their Offices from now until the end
81 the CAMPAIGN. Very little money, It
was announced, would be available for
naid advertising but thcn the editors.
were told no such slush fund as Jimmy
COX had been talking about was available
and that tho Republican nartv depended
unon the editors to do their share never
| theless in electing the national and state
tickets Now there's an old rule In pol
itics-Never say anything or do any
thing that you don't have to saw or do
And that is the strategy hereto create
no new controversies 70 offer no new or
startling programs at this stage of the
| capaign but simply to sit tight aud profit
| bv the wave almost food-of resentment
~hich the Republicans say is sweeping
| the country against Wilson and his seven
years Of administration. To use one Of
| Senator Harding's phrases about honesty,
| the insiders will tell YOU that REPORTS
show Republican victory to be such IA
| certainty that all the candidate need do
| is TO offend nobody and commit himself
to nothing controversial and he viii main
| tain harmony in his own ranks and gain
all the votes Of protest, all the votes Of
| punishment which the electorate may
want to administer. In other words, the
| Republicans believe the camp1ign will
! he one of reputation Of things Wilson
| ian rather than any especial affirmation
Of Harding And the whole attitude IS
that Cox has such a bio handicap to
/ overcome that he viii be buttlng against
| a stonewan. The Ohio editors in private