Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-04-24
LEAGUE ISSUE SEEN
IN JOHNSON GAINS
Prospect of Real Line Of
Cleavage PIeases the
Democrats.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE,

Republican politics is just now un-
dergoing the metamorphosis that q
few primary elections always bring
In the weeks Immediately preceding a
national election. The leaders and
politicians are literally up In the
air. They may look wise and talk
sagaciously. but they are as much
perplexed over the future as the
average observer. This in itself is
significant Of change.
Months ago, 1t was any republican
to win. But with sheer force Of per-
sonal appeal. Senator Hiram Johnson
OF California has demonstrated in q
remarkably short time that his fol.
lowing is no accidental thing nor
tRs sPsemer1, rennh,,sa ssonp1RE easHsAte se
groups % Which, e M snow anoeoa aneomfostsele ostssas
signs Of revolving from the republican
party II their wishee do not prevail.
The people who took the trouble to
go to the primaries and write the
senator's name in on the ballot are
strongly suspected Of something more
Hiram Johnson has been preaching.
From the viewpoint Of the democrats
and friends Of the White House, they
constitute the individuals who want
to keep the treaty from being re-
vived or the league OF nations from
being established with or without
reservations.
Line Of Cleavage Seen.
AS johnson grows. the democrats
grow jubilant. They see the senator
from California developing definite
lines Of cleavage. They have main
tanned from the beginning that the
republican party wanted neither
treaty nor league. and the vote given
Johnson has enabled the democrats to
point to Johnson's views as the preva-
lent thought OF, the rank and file of
the republican party. This dts in with
President Wilson's desire to make the
treaty an issue and to brush aside
the republican argument that Mr..
wilson would not accept the Lodge
looked upon Senator johnson az rep
resenting the opposition to the treaty
and In order to give the next cleo
tion the character "of q solemn refer
endum" his hope is naturally that
Senator Johnson will win the repub-
But Brother johnson isn't altogether
satisfactory to the conservatives in
the republican party. They accuse
him OF radicalism. His friends re-
spond that Hiram is liberal and a
safe one at that-and IL the repub-
MGahs ii9 oont take johnson they are
which is supposed to be a worse fate
tnan would be in store for the country
II the California senator were elected.
Encoufagenentt to Hoover.
The republican leaders. however.
know very we'll that the extreme
views OF johnson on the peace treaty
would be embarrassing. for IL he were
the nominee It would reinove the cry
1or the Lodge reservations. Senator
Johnson develops. the republicans
must find some man who "atsnda
right" on the treaty issue. Gov. low
den. Leonard Wood. Senator Harding
all wanted the Lodge reservations
TO accompany Americas entrance into
somboay must be brought forth who
can carry the west. some one who is
also a progressive and some one who
isn't too closely affiliated with eastern
That il what Is gty-
ing the Hoover supporters encourage
as a progressive republican and a
westerner. The California primaries
will show that he has strength in both
parties. The more johnson appears as
the menace" to conservative repub-
licanism the more necessary will 1t
De TO PICK SOIl0 Ouo WHO Cau pre-
vent johnson forming a third party.
Hoover Is popular outside Of the
political organizations. He IL, more
over, liked by business men. who be-
lieve his judgment would be more in
with large business enter
prises and would encourage individual
Initiative more than would that Of
the radical senator from California.
So as the situation appears today
the republican conservatives OF the
east arc apprehensive Of Senator
Johnson. They fear q third party II
he is turned down at Chicago. And
IL that doesn't happen they realize
what the effect can be OF Johnsonian
support" There was no third party
in 1915 and Hiram Johnson support
I'D" Gov Hughes. but the people Of
knew that the senator was
merely keeping party pledges and
that he was affronted by tho inti-
macy Of the republican presidential
with the reactionary wing
of the republican party In California.
Task for Republicans.
The republican leaders must con-
slider three things-how not to offend
Johnson II they don't nominate him
and how to keep his followers in
line for tho republican nominee, and
how to retain tho independent vote,
which has shown . dislike for the
In both political par.