The Washington herald., 1920-05-24
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.

.
and Croker Is its prophet"
- Now the foes of McAdoo. and they
are many. insist that Tammany -
not going to give him the vote
of New York. but has pledged that
merchantable commodity to Gov.
Cox. As against this theory GER
tain friends of the protean son-in-
law to the President claim that the
ioseemlng uncertainty Is merely
sipiece of shrewd politics intended to
sEdivert the fire Of Tammany's foes
from that statesman until too late
sfor it to be effectively employed.
s'Perhaps Murphy knows and won't
.tell. Personally I believe he has
not yet determined in his own mind.
=, Indeed, as at present conducted.
politics within the Democratic party
seems to be a repulsive compound
aof Mystery, Malice and the Machine.
The President furnishes the mys-
,-tery and there are plenty who be-
lieve that when he dispels IL IL will
be with the announcement of his
o. own at least receptive candidacy.
The enemies of the President fur
nish the malice. and at the present
time they seem to be divided only
upon the question whether it can
be the more effectively gratihed by
attacks Upon Palmer or upon Nc
Adoo. And the machine for its
part, gives unmistakable evidence
of being ready to unite. upon Cox.
OF Ohio, IL some way can be devised
of robbing Bryan OF Influence in the
Convention.
~ Democrats are Marking Time.
1t is wholly improbable that this
complete uncertainty within Demo-
cratic ranks will be dispelled until
after the Republicans have acted az
Chicago. One of the most active
Nmembers of the Democratic Nation
al Committee said. TO me today:
THE fact is that the Republicans
are likely to nominate our candf-
date for US. No really wise man in
our party is going to tie himself
closely to any candidate until he
has seen what Is done at Chicago,
AT this moment our party faces de-
feat. which to the hasty observer
seems certain. We are divided in
our attitude toward the administra-
~tion; divided in our views as to pro-
hfbition. But a blunder or a split
at Chicago would unity US. Moth
ing makes party leaders pull to-
sgether like a fair chance of victory
and spoils.
Suppose the Chicago convention
were to nominate Wood. Not only
would there be an immediate alien
alton of the labor vote, but there
would be a fair chance of indepen-
dent action on the part of Johnson's
friends. IL not by that candidate
himself. And IL johnson should be
nominated what would be the atti-
tude of the friends of Hughes. who
was butchered in California to make
a Johnsonian holiday? These are
the two leading Republican candf-
dates, leading so strongly that to
repudiate both would cause wide
spread dissension in the party.
Sees Issue BefoEged.
Then. on the matter of issues.
That widely heralded Indiana PLANK
on the treaty won't deceive any
body. Its very length brands 1t as
intended to befog the issue. People
will not read it. but will turn -
leaders for its Interpretation.
Does anyone believe that John
son and Lodge. both honest and out
spoken men. are going to stultity
themselves by defending this riot of
weasel words as a fair presentation
of their respective views? And IL
we are going to have trouble with
San Endorsement of the President,
will our foes find 1t all smooth when
they come to explain their do-noth-
ing Congress-"
Accordingly. some of the wisest
Democratic leaders are Withholding
expression OF their views until they
see what is done at Chicago. After
that event they will have nearly
three weeks to make up their minds
and perfect their combinations
Should Wood be nominated, the
Democratic field would be made up
sof pretty nearly every politician
who could scrape together a dele
CATION, for, rightly or wrongly. the
opinion is common in Democratic
ranks that he would be the easfes,
of all to beat.
Democrats Prefer Wood.
q. In the last few weeks 1 have
Etalked with practically all the
tgDemocratic aspirants and each ha.
.expressed the wish that should the
,,nomination come to him he might
shave the General for an adversary
Y, Current speculation has IL tina.
Ethe nomination of Lowden would
aaccrue to the benefit of Cox, who
hhas a successful gubernatorial rec
g,,.ord of his own to set on agains,
pthat of the Illinoisan, and who
ncould probably swing many more
1votes in Illinois than his adversary
.could in Ohio. The nomination OF
aJohnson- with his Adullam mite fol-
S9owing might turn the Democracy
utovard its more conservative
gspokesmen. In this connection ]
shear the name of John W. Davis, of
west Virginia, at present Ambassa-
l,dor to England. mentioned with in
screasing frequency.
y Democrats are not inclined to dis
lcuss the nomination on the enemy
.sticket- of Herbert Hoover. In such
aeyent they would make such a nom-
slnation as would hold the party to-
sgether without hope of victory.
sRepublleans Seeking New Timber.
Z, Meantime among Republicans the
talk t1rns more and more upon the
s1esser candidates-even the dark
.horses. The discussion or the pos
liabilities of Gov. Sproul. of Penn
4Ulvania, which was checked for q
time by Penrose's declaration for
Knox. has been reawakened by the