New-York tribune., 1920-07-10
Penrose Sees
Real Fight in
Cox Candidacy
Nomination of Ohio Co,.
ernor Is Reputation 4
Wilson, Giving Streneih
to Ticket, He Declares
League Not Live Issue
Says People Hold Party n
ssUnutterable Contempt
From President Downn
Special Dispatch to The rrlbvr.

a
dency looming up in November becauss
sof the selection OF Governor Cor :.
the Democratic standard bearer. n.
made this statement from his home .o-
day. This is the second interview he
has granted since the Republican Na.I
tional Convention at Chicago.
II am decidedly of the opinion tb.,
the nomination Of Governor Cox con.
stitutes reputation Of the Wilso,
leadership in the Democratic partv,
said Senator Penrose "After WiIso,I
was elected he ignored the oldtim.
leaders of his party in most of IN.
states. He surrendered into the hands
of lot of amateurs and alleged ideal.
lists, who never had shown any v;r;ia
democracy, but who were knowr
chiefly by the vague designation AZ
progressives. The real workers in tha
party were ignored. The time arrived
however, when their turn came ana
they were able to show that they wera
the real bone and sinew of the party.
Cox's Chief Strength
"The stuffed shirt statesman sp.sa.
lily found his place of innocuous desue-
tude. He lett no doubt that ne meant
little or nothing to the country or to
the real democracy of the nation.
ut is doubtful whether the Wilson
Administration really could have con-
trolled any national convention or i'm
portant party action at any time since
it has been in power. That this il
true was shown in the several elec-
tions in New Jersey, New York and
elsewhere upon repeated occasions.
Cox's strength decidedly is due to the
fact that he is as distinctly removed
from any association with the Wilson
leadership as possible.
I'm the foregoing statement concern
ing Cox's dissociation from Wilson.
refer to his relation with the prac-
tlcal working factors o. the party. OF
course the situation has only one
meaning and that is he has surren-
dcred to the corrupt and disreputabe
elements Of the party, such as Tam
many, and, to. greater extent than
will be realized, he viii lose the in
tellectual and reputable groups at
tracted by Wilson. AS a matter Of
fact, the Democratic National Conven-
tion was controlled by politicians Of
the ward precinct type, and it is notice
able that Wilson did not even attempt
one, realizing his helplessness in this
respect.
League Not Live Issue
at is very evident that the League
of Nations is not by any means the big
issue Of the campaign. The situation
is that the Democrats, by accepting the
principle of reservations, have cca-
promised entirely the incorporating
position of the President. which de-
manded the unadulterased acceptance
Of the league as framed in his own
presumptuous and egotistical imagiRs-
ton.
at is becoming more and more ev-
dent every day that the League Of
Nations is not live issue with the
people. Cox will make as strong q
fight as any Democrat that could have
been selected, particularly on account
of his independence of Wilson. Never
theless, Harding will be elected, be-
cause the people are determined to re-
and to get rid entirely of the Demo-
cratic Administration with its utter
incompetence. The contest is likely to
become a real one on account OF SO
many uncertain factors abroad in the
land.
each candidate and his party assc-
ciates will have to go before the peo-
ple in a more or less strenuous fashion.
"There is considerable talk about 3
front porch campaign. but it seems 70
me that the discussion is of the mid:
summer variety Circumstances and
conditions, as the campaign develops,
will determine the best way to reach
the voters to whose intelligence we
must appeal.
"Hooverism Twaddle"
"a return to the principles of Amer.
canism and a getting away from a.,
the foolish talk about international
idealism are the live issues IN Inc
breasts of the people. -,
"They have conceived unutterapie
contempt for the performance, per-
sonnel and inefficiency of the present
Administration from the President
down. The history of the period seems
like nightmare. 1t il most gratiiy-
ing to see that in both parties we are
returning to sanity. -,
"It is consoling to know that we VIII
hear no more tweddle about Hooverism
in connection with the Presidency.
Regardless, therefore, of side issues
and collateral propositions, the funas-
mental, basic issue involved Will prcve'
in my opinion, unassailable and VIII ri 81
store the country to Republican coh'fo'
for another upneration T"