The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-09-23
COX'S ABSENCE IN
 WEST IS HANDICAP
 ID HEADQUARTERS
Leaders Hesitate to Make Im- portant Decisions of Policy Without Consulting
 the Candidate
By CLINTON w. GILBERT

Chicago, September 22.-(Special )-Gov- ernor Cox's presence is needed in the east to make the democratic national organiza- ton function. The democratic national committee and it's chairman seem to have little capacity to act and to reach de- clsions in the absence of the democratic candidate on his speaking tour of the west.
 Within the last few days two important matters have come up before Chairman White and his associates without any decision being reached. The American Federation of Labor, wnose officials, un- der the leadership of Samuel Gompers, are supporting the democratic candidate, has proposed to cooperate with bs9sem- ocratic party, giving the party thN Aqt of it's organization and of it ~ 8 lists for party purposes. Thee s&,,N tch movement, which is deeplNS4 S 6r ed in the League of Nations, bfs .ss some what similar proposal SA.
 HAS DELA 70 ,<siTON
 Upon these prop1 ~ She democratic organization h3z x4Y. VI action There apears to be $.<<I ability to reach prompt decisft oSshe absence of Gov ernor Cox. Absx%republican headquar- ters here the criticism is heard that both in New York and in Chicago there is a sort of paralysis in the democratic or ganization.
 This criticism of the republicans is probably exaggerated As already pointed out in this correspondence the democratic national organization is at least two months behind the republican organiza- ton, and in some respects more than two months behind in getting under way. The democratic national organization is not yet functioning. And the peculiar relation of Governor Cox to it makes it difficult for it to function. Governor Cox is vir- f11o lfx fl,n Nf ha taUa 1ot al nE- ganizaton there is Chairman White be- ing merely the governors man, and Gov ernor Cox is away on long trip, hard to reach and hard to keep fully informed.
 The example of the republicans this year in having an organization fully pre- pared and ready to act when the nomi- nation was made will be likely to be followed by other parties in the future. The democratic party was handicapped by not having funds to begin with when the convention was held, and by not hay ing any organization already active in the field. The change in the chairmanship so late in the day as the cnange from MT. Cummings to Mr. White was a mis- take from the point of view of effective organization. An extraordinary political organizer might have taken hold when Mr. White did and improvised an effect ual machine in time for the active cam paign, but MT. White is not proving a genius at organization.
 COX EASY TO APPKo4tsH I
 In Ohio. where Governor Cox is well known, his friends describe him as a" hard man to organize" This does rot mean that he Is at all like President Wilson in his relation to his men. As a matter of fact, he is very different from the President He is familiar and easy and always accessible. He listens s- n t... T vice that is offered. but he actually sends for and consults with few men.
 He plays a rather lone hand politi- cally. so that his representatives on the national committee are often at a loss to know what he intends to do what his Judgment will be on certain policies. Mir White has made the mis- take of disagreeing with his chief on one or two occasions. especially when he made the announcement from Wash ington regarding the relative unimpor- tance of the League of Nations issue and on the campaign fund charges. Chairman White. Judge Moore and the governors other natural advisors were uninformed when the Pittsburg speech was delivered. Their position is Iiffi- cult. with an organization only just starting in and a candidate who goes
 
 MAINE ELECTION DEPRESSING
 The Maine election, coming just as it did, with the organization only start ing in and suggesting the possibility of great strength for the republican candidate throughout the country has had depressing effect upon the demo- cratic leaders. The long speech mak- ing trip of Governor Cox throughout the west was probably bad tactics. His speeches are receiving no great pub licity; at least in this section of the country and a trip like that inevitably took him into several states that are hopelessly republican. For example, he has spent several days in talking to Californians. Yet all the information available here indicates that California is going overwhelmingly republican. Estimates made here as to the republic can majority vary from 150.000 to 200,- 900.
 There is going to be no repetition of 1916. Senator Johnson cannot afford to have his state to fail to support Mir Harding. Governor Cox, in going to California. doubtless had the senator ship situation there in mind but if Harding carries the state by a big ,-.a- jority. there Is little prospect of sena- tor Phelans reelection on the demo- cratic ticket.