Evening star., 1920-01-18
BY N. O. MESSENGER.

NEW YORK, January 17-ThiS has
been a week of interesting delving
into the politics of three states, New
York, Connecticut and New Jersey. in
their bearing upon presidential poll
tics and local conditions; Of contact
with all sorts Of politicians, from the
eminently "practicar to the loftiest
altruist, and also with men who keep
a finger on the pulse of politics and
of finance and business as well.
1t was a week of flying visits and
contact, by previous appointm ent.
with reservoirs of information where
in have been gathered and impounded
events as they have occurred, yielding
flow upon being tapped by the well
come hand.
Gen. Leonard Wood. Gov. Lowden,
Senator Johnson, Senator Poindexter
and Nicholas Murray Butler have been
in these parts, and the agents Of Sena-
Hoover and other presidential possi-
bilities have been busy on the local
scene of action.
1t is a striking fact that all Of the
activity has been in republican circles,
with the exception of the drive for Mr.
Hoover, assuming that he may be con-
sidered in the democratic column, where
persistent reports seek to place him. IT
may occur to one to be strange that
there is so little talk about democratic
presidential potentialities.
Consideration for President.
rWhat is the reason for this lack Of
discussion Of suggested democratic can
didates for the nomination." politicians
are asking. The answer, as near as it
can be gathered for formclation, is that
the reticence grows out of consideration
for President Wilson. and absence Of
knowledge as to his attitude and wishes.
While the consensus of opinion among
democrats is that he will not be can
didate for denomination, his personal
predictions toward a candidate, if re
has any, are unknown and dempcrats,
feel hesitancy about starting some
thing" for any other man.
That they are chafing over this sit
uation goes without saying. The
same spirit was reflected among ma
tional democrats in Washington be-
fore I left. Every once in a whilo
some self-constituted spokesman for
sure you that the President will not
be a candidate Then when ne Is
asked whom he favors for the nomi-
nation in case the President does not
want it he shuts up like clam and
looks wiser and more mysterious
tHdH ever. no ldCI SsiC lul6 III Oc
justified in believing they are afraid
to speak out in meeting for fear Of
going crosswise with the tttular head
Of the party.
Possibly the first intimation from a
creditable source Of the attitude Of
the White House and the national sad-
ministration toward candidacies may
come from some state where the state
law requires a declaration before the
primaries. Another theory advanced
is that there will be no intimation of
the Administrations attitude until
after the Senate has disposed Of the
peace treaty, and that the lists will
be left open to see what the develop
ments will be for the next few weeks
thereafter.
Republican Gathering.
Republicans Of New York state will
have a great gathering of the clans
here in the middle OF February, when
the state convention meets to select
the big four" the delegates ct large
to the national convention, that selec-
ton to be submitted to the primaries
for ratification. A committee, which
includes in it's membership Elihu
Root, Nicholas Murray Butler. Sena-
tor Wadsworth, John Lord O'Brian.
Henry l.. Stimson, Herbert A. Parsons
and ogden Mills, is drawing up dec
laration of principles for the republi-
can party of New York. to be adopted
by that convention.
1t is thought that tho big four