Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-06-19
TAFT AND HOOVER
VIEWS ARE POTENT
IN SEATTLE REGION
Harding's Cause Has Gained
Materially by Their
Active Support.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

SEATTLE, Wash. June 19.-Three
thousand miles away from the po-
litical maelstroms of the east, the
newspapers published in full the spe-
cial interview given by President
Wilson to the New York World. the
fulsome praise given Senator Harding
by former President Taft. the un-
equivocal support given the repub-
bert Hoover and at the same time
dispatches describing the omlnous
silence of Hiram Johnson and the
mysterious refusal by William q.
McAdoo ito be a candidate for the
democratic nomination.
All this came on western folks like
a torrent out of the sky, so here,
where they think without rancor and
vote without boss rule. cross SC
lion of opinion is especially signifl-
sant
Disagree With President.
President Wilson's interview creased
hardly ripple. The President vs. SO
generally considered out of the political
game that his vehement expressions
about the republican national convention
passed without much comment.
Far from considering the republican
convention to have been scientifically
Prussian." as Mr.. Wilson describes 1t,
the people here rather got the impress
sion that the republican convention was
unscientificaIly American and simply
typical example of what happens when
9S6 delegates are confined to a single
room with sweltering temperatures and
confusing primary system. They
wouldn't be a bit surprised If the demo-
cratic convention wallovS around in an
equally unscientific mass meeting.
The President fails to register eff
fectively hereabouts when he talks
about the league Of nations. for the
simple reason that the people are not
blindly following his leadership any
more. but take their cues from men
like Hoover and Taft. If these two
men say the republican platform
means Americas entrance into the
league Of nations eventually, and IL
these men say Harding is all right on
the league issue. that's enough for
and for a good many independents.
too.
Their Attitude Helps Harding.
The league of nations as an issue
has possibilities only when it can be
removed from the realm of complex
phFaseology to the formulas of SIM
pie, everyday understanding. So long
az it looked as If men like Taft and
Hoover and other republicans would
stick by the Wilson guns in the
league OF nations fight there was a
chance out here for the democratic
viewpoint. But the accession OF Taft
and Hoover by Harding has had a
progressively important effect.
Another thing-they know some
thing in Seattle about political rris-
oners" and persons punished for ex-
pressing opinions, and when Mr.. Will
son says he doesn't know Of a single
case in which anybody was punished
for expressing an opinion the radi-
Gals here ask what Eugene Debs was
punished for if not the expression of
an opinion in his famous speech to
the jury. They also ask what Victor
Berger was convicted for.
Both Sides Dissatisaed.
On the other hand, people who think
the kind of opinions expressed by
Debs and Berger should be punished.
don't see why the President hesitates
to take full responsibility for the ac-
tion of the Department of Justice in
those cases.
Mr.. Wilson ingratiates himself.
therefore. with neither radicals nor
conservatives.
Incidentally, the democratic conven-
tion in King county has just con-
tributed an unconscious bit of humor
to the situation by voting to ask the
national convention at San Francisco
to include plank in the platform ad-
vocating the release of political pris-
oners. If the Presidents expression
in the New York World was subtle
effort to catch the radicals. it failed
of effect in this hotbed Of radicalism.
Triple Alliance Active.
The creation of a third party at Chi
cago next month will, however, be care
fully watched. The political power in
this state is being sought by the triple
alliance, a combination of farmers, la
Dor and railroad brotherhoods. This al
lance is affiliated with the Non-Partisan
League. William G. McAdoo had some
chance of getting support from these
elements, but if he succeeds in eliminat-
ing himself as a candidate. no other
democrat is likely to get the support.
though a strenuous filtration is on be-
tween the democrats and labor radicals
in this section.
People are inclined to take McAdoo
at his word in declining to be a can
didate, but newspaper men are a bit
skeptical. They scent strategy. They
think the former Secret tary of the
Treasury really Doesn't want the
nomination unless he can get it by
spontaneous offer from the conven-
ton, but that he will accept it gladly
if it comes that way
Realizing the handicap which the
father-in-1aw argument may make it
is noted that on practically the same
day that President Wilson says pub
licly that he has not lifted finger
to promote any ones candidacy the
son-in-law says publicly that he will
not permit his name to be considered
If the nomination does not come to
McAdoo, his friends here believe he
he nor his distinguished relative in
the White House dictated the choice
at San Francisco.
tCOpyripht 1ooD)