The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-10-21

the democrats a. with the republicans,
and when he does the democrats have
torty-eight votes to the republicans
forty-seVen.
Further. one republican senator,
Gronna, OF North Dakota, failed OF re-
nomination IN the primaries His sue
cessor will be either democrat or a
non-partisan Lacquer In North Dakota
the partisan league has captured
the republican organization, so that the
republican nominee to succeed Gronna,
DR. Il, II. Ladd (who, by the way is an
able mani, Is really much more a nom
partisan Lacquer than republican
He can no more be depended upon to
help make up republican majority
than La Toilette, II Ladd should not he
elected, democrat viii; so that In
any event the republicans in the future
senate Wi not be able 10 count one
from North Dakota, as they are in the
present senate.
situation a Preearlous One.
This is enough to show how serious
the situation In the senate is with the
republicans And II is not merely that
they are really one or two short OF a
majority, II is worse than that. There
are several republicans In the senate
other than La Toilette. who are not
very dependable from a party point or
Niew--Johnson of California, for eN-
ample. johnson IL never very depend
able republican, but in the next senate
he intends TO be an Indian. He is prac
ticaly OFF the reservation right now,
He says openly that his ticket Ia merely
truce, To his friends and TO news
paper men privately he says more than
that, He says he is going on the war
path the day after election.
I'm at
he was treated by the Chicago conven-
tion. He was not merely defeated. hut
inundated. The man who made the
speech nominating johnson was laughed
at, and johnson was made to seem
little ridiculous. That is the sort OF
thing that generates action in Johnson
Johnson's personality IL one that func-
grievance, Most decidedly the republi-
cans cannot feel comfortable In depend
ing on johnson to help make up their
control OF the senate.
Another republican senator who can
not be depended on as a party man Is
Norris, OF Nebraska.
Clearly the republican senate major
ity, which is nominally two, and really
only one, is, In truth, not n majority at
all, And what the republicans hope for.
and seriously need. is not merely bare
majority but n comfortable majority.
What they want and need is a comfort
able working majority OF six or eight.
They want to control the senate. Any
party that looks forward to being in
power and contemplates changes MS
fundamental as the republicans hope 10
make, and are expected by the country
to make, wants not merely n ma jority,
but an easy working majority. That Ia
exactly what the republicans have not
got And whether they can get II In the
coming election Is the really exciting
aspect OF this campaign.
Senator Harding realizes this need
with probably keener appreciation than
any one else suspect he is giving
more troubled thought 10 the senate
than to his own fortunes II Will be
noticed that every trip Harding has
made away from hts front porch, except
one, was into states where there, are
senatorial contests Twice on his way
he spoke In states whore there are no
senatorial contests, but It In senatorial
seats that have been the real detectives
of his departures from the front porch.