The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-03
WILSON CANNOT
STUMP FOR COX
President Likely to DisappOint
Democrats Who Look for
Aggressive Move.
VAGUE SURPRISE HINTS
White House Handicapped by
Nominees Policy of Boss
ing His Campaign.
sn,oio, D,spatch 10 rur HrRArp.

Special Despatch TO THE HERALD.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 2.-Democrats
who are looking for some aggressive
move by President Wilson to put spirit
into their tagging Presidential cam
paign are leaning on broken reed.
This is a statement of the Democratic
situation by men who know what the
President would like to do for Gov.
Cox and what he really can and will
do.
In the first place it can be said re-
liably there is not the remotest possi-
bility Of President Wilson taking the
stump for Gov. Cox. Democrats who
have talked with both Gov. Cox and
White House officials say Gov. Cox
would like to have the President do
this and that the President would do
1t If he were able. But the fact re-
mains that 1t is not thought advisable
for him to attempt to face an audience.
From time to time there have been
intirnations that the President was con-
tempiating making speeches at the re-
quest of Gov Cox. The Presidents ply
sicians have continued to maintain they
would not let him make speeches and.
knowing this. 1t is doubtful IL Gov. Cox
has ever made the request. Apparently,
therefore, reports OF possible speeches by
the President have been meant merely
to hearten Democrats.
There are some things the President
can do for Gov. Cox, however. and the
nominees friends here insist they will
be done when the proper time ar
rives.
One OF the things the President will
do is to issue statements. Even In
this. however, he Is handicapped by the
fact that Gov. Cox wants to be the boss
of his own campaign and to put his own
Interpretation on the League of Nations
covenant and upon other campaign Is
sues. This Is illustrated aptiy In Gov.
Cox's reply to a questioner that he and
rot Wilson was running for President
While Gov. Cox has been in the far
West reports Of his speeches have NOT
been full and complete due to difficult
ties OF transmission. There always was
the chance that White Houre state
n1ent might conflict with something Gov
Cox has said, but which had not been
reported here. This has acted as o
check on White House activities
There are come things which devel-
cped during the negotiations in Paris
which never have been made public,
These. II Is pointed out here, might be
made known to Gov. Cox II 1t was
thought they would help his campaign
So far nothing OF this nature has been
produced, but political strategy would
dictate withholding II until the las'
weeks of tho campaign.
Another instrument possessed by the
White House might prove OF value n
tho Cox Presidential campaign. rms
IA a remarkabl file recording the ut
terances OF public men on the League
of Nations and other questions.
close friend of Gov. Cox recently
In Washington is said to have made the
boast that Democrats have n Dig cam
paign surprise ready to make pubic
soon. He refused to tell the nature OF
IT. and since then hopeful Democrats
have been more or less occupied In
guessing contest. One guess was tha'
the surprise was speeches by fresi'
dent Wilson. As stated, this Is out oi
tho question. Another guess-perhapt
nearer the truth--was that the promise
of a surprise was simply an attempt &c
get some publicity
However, the surprise, If there Is one
will come from the White House. IL IL
understood, either directly or indirectly
In either case the source VIII be plain
TO every one.