The Washington herald., 1920-04-05


(specfal to TIE washfngton Herala.)
Wheeling. w. Va, April 4.-No
sooner had the train which brought
us up here from tidewater rushed
across the top Of Cheat River VAL
ley, revealing a rugged and pictur-
esque cash in the still. gray land
scape, than instantly sensed we
had pierced the smoke screen" that
hides the thinkings and doings of
the great majority of Americans
standing of the minority who live
east of the Allegheny Mountains. 1t
was precisely the feeling OF young
sters who had got away from the
presence of grim-faced parents, and
tongues that had been knotted from
Washington until beyond Harper's 8
Ferry-sacred to the memory OF
John Brown-suddenly uncoiled and
began to wag vigorously.
why does a Californian know
more about the u. 8. A. than q New
Yorker?' asked q country banker
looking person, who puffed q Wheel
ing stogie and talked IN the same
direction his eyes went. There was
a perceptible Strengthening up OF
backs in the leather-covered chairs
of the baby smoker of the combina-
ton parlor car.
Fire away responded a stocky-
built man, who confessed that by
adopting the profession Of shooting
petroleum wells since his return
from France, he had maintained the
proper vocational high speed OF an
ex-battery commander.
He has to cross all of 1t to reach
Wall street." replied the first shat
terer of silence.
Hoover or Johnson?" bluntly ask
ed the oil shooter. adding: They
are both Californians."
"Neither" snapped the country
banker. "I fancy Gov. Lowden. OF
Illinois. He promises to reduce
taxes"
Breadth snd Freedom Of Expression.
Cant travel to the White House
in a Pullman palace car; I say II
can't be DONE" remarked a long
faced man. whose dominant voice
proclaimed him a leader of men.
and his coat-lapel button as a leader
of labor. He went on:
81 speak for the many. the many
who have the power of numbers.
Just now the workers are more con-
cerned about methods than men.
Not issues. said methods. per ex-
ample, whether In order to get what
they next want and hold fast what
they have gained. 1t is their best
interest to support the new labor
party idea or to continue their for
mer nonpartisan course by more
vigorously rewarding their friends
and Furnishing their enemies among
the candidates OF the two great po-
litical parties. myself think they
will do both"
So the talk went on, and It's
breadth and freedom gave those
present the sensation OF really be-
ing behind the scenes with the fire
curtain" down.
West of the Alleghenies is GER
tain1y the stage upon which the
moving events Of the American po-
litical drama are given their ini-
tial rehearsal. I should liken the
East to an assembling audience
gathering for the November pre-
miere upon the well-cushioned slopes
of the Atlantic seaboard, a thing
apart from the rest of the country
Most OF the actor roles are taken
before they are in their seats.
Reaction OF the Lansing Incident.
To get at the group mental drift
OF section of the country is not
difficult. These quick-silvery slides
of massed thought have external
signs which are unmistakable to the
most unframed observer. For in
stance, at first I could not under
stand why the small shopkeeper
alike with the head of the large
corporation condemned the Presi-
dents dismissal Of Lansing for call
ing Cabinet meetings when the for
mer was i'll.
But il was made quite clear to
me by a Wheeling grocer. who said:
What do l care about Lansing?
Nothing. He was not much In my
opinion until he got fired. Suppose
1 leave my store here and go up
town for two hours to pay my in
come tax. Ny clerk has to take
care of the trade that comes in dur
ing my absence. 1 would bounce
him quick enough IL he didn't
Hardly would / fire him for attend
ing to the business that came when
was away. That is what hap
pened to Lansing"
Most people l have talked with
see the Lansing incident from the
same viewpoint. They all agreed
grocers, bankers. mechanics and
clerks-that somebody had to stay
on the Job. The government. they
say, could not stop just because the
President had a physical break
down. They sympathized with
Lansing because he was punished
for attending to the affairs of the
government-their business-in the
absence of the President.
why Wood Over Pershings
Another drift of sentiment that
puzzled me was why so many Of the
boys who served in the army that
I talked with fatty said they were
against Gen. Pershing for President
yet in almost the same breath de-
clared their willingness to work and
vote for Gen. Wood. 1t was easy to
understand their wrath against a
candidate of the oficer class, any
man who wore shoulder straps. one
of the sort who had fgurativelJ
kicked and cuffed them. about In
the army. But why single out Gen
Wood for an exemption?
I could not fathom the psychology