Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-08-21
COX MAKES |NROAD
ON HARD|NG'S
IN FORECASTS
End of Two Month Campaign
Shows Slight Gains
for Aggressor.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.


the presidential campaign have
elapsed, and there is not much reason
to change, as yet the forecast of the
probable outcome. which followed
upon the two national conventions.
Judged by reports from all parts of
the country, from democratic as we'll
as republican sources, as matters
stand today, Senator Harding. the re-
publican nominee, has the lead, and,
We're the election held this week. he
would win, though hardly by the same
margin that he might have secured
When he was first nominated.
In other words, the campaign of
Gov. Cox has made some headway.
Nhether 1t Will make enough head
way to overcome the Harding lead is
another question. the answer to which
lies in the campaign yet to be made
oy both candidates and the workers
IN their behalf. The democrats are
blazing away as intensely as they can
with a clumsy organization. The re-
publicans are holding back, with
smooth-working machinery, that can
republicans say they don't think much
or August drives and declare they
prefer rather to rely on the drive
made in October.
Harding Has Handicap,
But the race between Cox and Hard
ing can best be described by taking
as an analogy the recent yacht race
between America and England. One
boat was given seven minutes handi-
cap in point of time, so that her COM
petitor could even cross the finish
line first. but still not win. Senator
Harding has practically a two-year
handicap. He has behind him all the
strength of the republican offensive.
which began with the capture of
in a10 u
has continued ever since. The demo-
Gratis. on the other hand, admittedly
were on the defensive and depended
nevertheless on their leader. Wood
row Wilson. for most of the fighting.
Unfortunately, however. as so often
happens in foot ball teams when a
star player is absent from the game
or injured, the rest of the team goes
to pieces. President Wilson felt it
necessary to go to Europe to nego-
tiate personally with the powers of
Europe, and during his absence no.
body was delegated to handle the de-
fensive of the political fight or even
to conduct an offensive. Senator Lodge
and his colleagues managed continu-
ally to lombard the President and
his policies, while Mr.. Wilson himself
was so busy with the peace negotla-
tions that he had very little time to
mend fences at home even by cable
or letter.
Breakdown Has Effect.
When the President did get back
the democrats were heartened con-
siderably for they again had leader,
but unhappily for them Mr.. Wilson
suffered a nervous breakdown WITHIN
three months, and has been out Of.
the political. game, ever since. None
of the presidential candidates on TIE
democratic side seemed willing to
seize the reins of leadership in the
absence of word from the President
as to his desire to run for third
term. AS a consequence, 1T may truly
be said-indeed, it is admitted by
democratic managers-that the demo.
cratic defense did not begin in earnest
until the San Francisco convention.
AS for an offense. that did not start
until the Notification ceremonies at
Dayton, which gave aggressive Mr..
Cox a chance to start an offensive OF
his own.
The big question of victory for Gov.
Cox turns upon his ability to wear
down an offense of two years max
ing. That offense managed to i'm
plant certain ideas about the league
of nations and certain other ideas
about Mr.. Wilson'S cabinet officers
which, irrespective of the facts. have
taken hold.
1t is the impression made by the re-
publican offensive and not necessarily
the logic of their arguments which
counts. Unquestionably Gov. Cox I'M
derstands his situation. for it will be
noticed ne is spending much of his time
refuting the impression that any for
eign power could at any time order
American boys to war. He has not yet
said very much to indicate Affirmative
ly what his domestic policies would be
with respect to the selection of cabinet
officers Or the administration of the
rf
hasn't differentiated between his own
record in office and the various points
of criticism leveled at the Wilson ad-
ministration.
Democrats More Than Hopeful
To a large extent, anything demo-
cratic is still Wilsonian in many sec
tions of the country, where discomfort
over domestic administration is par
ticularly deep-rooted. Some of the
friends OF Gov Cox maintain that be-
fore the campaign is over the distinc-
tion will be more than apparent. In
stead of feeling downcast over the
present status of the campaign, the
democratic leaders in their private con-
ferences are really confident and more
than hopeful.
| They are not yet convinced about the
outcome, but they give the appearance
of men, who, fighting an uphill fight,
| nave enough confidence in their case
to be ready to accept the verdict at the
polls. They haven't, however, completed
! their case yet nor are they especially
certain that in the short time that
! elapses that their arguments can convert
those who have been prejudiced by the
| republican offensive
| AS for the republicans, every con-
! ference among the leaders shows con-
fidence and certainty over the result.
Continued on Page 2. Column ~