The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-09-22
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Especial Despatch to The Reformer
Copyright 1920
SANTA BARBARA, Cal, Sept. 22.-I
California furnished surprise four years
ago. 1t may furnish another this year if
Senator johnson chooses to upset sit
,,ation which today looks like a majority
If at least 100000 for Senator Harding.
To understand the mixup it must first
be stated that normally southern Cali
fornia furnishes the heavy Republican
vote to overcome the Democratic strength
in San Francisco and northern California.
But this year northern California es
pecially with ITS Irish vote in San Fran
cisco has listened to the arguments of
Hiram johnson and a press, friendly to
his viewpoint on the league of nations,
while southern California has been
strongly in favor of the league and the
majority of the newspapers of influence
have taken that attitude.
Thus Senator johnson, who has always
been popular IN southern California, lost
it decisively to Herbert Hoover in the
May primaries because southern Califor-
MIA is for the league.
When Senator Harding was nominated
southern California was disappointed. 1t
wanted Hoover When Senator Harding
| first announced his views on the league
| and men like Taft and Hoover expressed
| themselves as satisfied, the friends of the
| league of nations in Los Angeles and vi
entity also were satisfied When Senator
| Harding began to show signs of accept
| ing Senator Johnson's ideas on the
| league question, an undercurrent of dis
affection developed, but the Republican
newspapers accepted the situation with
evidence of discomfort and restiveness.
They are for the time being submerg
ing the issue, but are hopeful that Sena-
tor Harding will yet take a more SYM
| pathetic attitude toward the league All
would be well if the situation ran on
| without the raising of new causes for
controversy inside the Republican party.
But Senator johnson Is not disposed
| to let well enough alone. Either he be-
Heves that southern California can be
converted to his viewpoint on the league
or he sincerely believes he should cam
paign throughout California and drive
| ing's position which he, himself, holds.
Anyway, they say they do not want
Senator johnson to speak in southern
California. Somebody arranged a meet
ing for Los Angeles next Saturday night
to follow that of Governor Cox. Per-
haps it was the instruction of the Re-
publican national committee or perhaps
Senator johnson was permitted to speak
where he pleased in California.
But the truth is the Republicans in
this vicinity have appealed to the Repub-
licah national committee to keep Johnson
out of southern California. Elmer Dover
regional director on the Pacific coast Tor
the Republican national committee, has
been in Los Angeles the last few days
checking up on the situation and it is
understood that he has advised VIII
Hays it might be more discreet to ask
Senator johnson not to speak about the
league in Los Angeles or, better yet, not
to come into the section at ALL
Mr.. Dover has been told that as things
now stand the situation from a Republic
can viewpoint is excellent and that if the
league issue does not drive Republicans
into a war inside the party, the majority
in southern California viii be upwards
of 100000.
Manly SJdullCll ttdSue supporters re-
sent Johnson's coming and if he attacks
the league there is almost certain to be
a mass meeting by friends of the league
as an answering demonstration.
This is exactly what the Cox-Roosevelt
supporters would like to see happen, for
anything that disturbs a serene situation
will benefit the Democrats whose candi-
date is outspokenly for the league and
has lately said he would accept any COM
promise reservations that might be agreed
upon in the senate.
Some Republicans of prominence told
the writer they would not dare to predict
what would happen in California if SEN
ator Johnson aroused the voters of the
southern part of the state on the league
issue. 1t seems hardly possible for Gov
ernor Cox to acquire enough strength to
carry southern California, but if he cuts
down the expected large majority which
Los Angeles might otherwise give Hard
ing and if the continued effect of Cox's
speeches in San Francisco is to regain
the Democratic vote in northern Califor-
MIA the state might yet turn another
somersault.
1t was the Hughes visit to Los Ange
les which started a feud and gave the
state to Wilson i'll 1916. The issue then
was progressivism. Southern California
was solidly behind Johnson and resented