Evening star., 1920-03-28

ROM the standpoint of demo-
r. Cratic presidential news. the
week just epded has been
notable chiefly for the con-
tinued lack of Efforts in behalf of
any atpirants for the San Francis
CO nomination. Supporters of At
torney General Palmer continue to
work In a number of states. but
they are not creating much of a
stir.
Democratic lethargy Is attribut-
eo solely to the lack of knowI-
edge as to what President Wilson
Intends to do about standing as a
candidate <or third term. or, in
the event that he does not himself
intend to be a candidate. what his
preferences are.
onder this handicap democrats
are inactive. but it cannot be said
they are restive. That many of
them are. in fact, restless was evil
eenced by the outbreak in the
House a Representatives during
the week, when Representative
humphreys of Mississippi, in a
prepared address. called upon Mr..
Wilon to make public declaration
whether he would or would not be
q candidate for reelection. At this
writing there has been no response
from the White House. and there
is no lively expectation that there
Will be one soon.
With the treaty fight removed
from the Senate and injected into
the campaign, democrats had
looked forward to the unlimberfnr
OF heavy artillery in behalf of
presidential candidates. But dis
patches to The Star from its no.
litical correspondents do not echo
any such cannonading. About the
most they have to report is that
the party managers are bending
their efforts toward having unin-
structed delegations sent to. San
francisco, and as the party man.
. ayers in most instances are thick
ahu-thln wilson men, success to
their efforts will mean that the
convention will be ready to do the
Presidents bidding. whether the
nomination is to go to Mr.. Will
son himself or to a man of the
Presidents selection.
William Jennings Bryan con-
tinues to go up and down the
country. bending his efforts
chlehy to preventing the selec-
ton OF any wet" delegates to
the national convention, but incl
dentally opposing the Presidents
stand en- the peace treaty and the
league of nations covenant. It il
hard to judge by reports from the
states he has visited whether Mr..
Bryan is making any substantial
headway, but 1t seems fair to as
sumo that he is not creating any
more than the usual sensation.
more attention to his doings.
X X X r
About the only place where there
is much Of q democratic commotion
is in Texas. where former Senator
Bailey and his followers are try
ing to get control Of the party
machinery. and make little at
tempt toAdisguise that they are
engaged in a straightaout fight
against the national administra-
tion. Because Of the size Of the
delegation Texas will have at San
Francisco, this contest is ofhvital
interest to democrats everywhere,
but apparently it has not yet de-
veloped to a point where political
prophets are willing to risk their
regulations on the outcome.
In Maryland something of a
democratic furry has been created
by the avowed purpose of sup
porters of Attorney General Pal
mer to enter him at the primaries
in an effort to get instructions.
The Maryland democratic man
ayers are bent on an uninstructed
delegation, and for the purpose Of
heading Off Palmer the possibility
of entering Gov. Albert c. Richie
as a presidential candidate is being
considered. Gov. Ritchie is not