The Washington times., 1920-10-13
DECIDED ny CALIFORNIA.

DECIDED BY CALIFORNIA.
This may be better appreciated
when IL is noted that had California
with its thirteen electoral votes gone
to Hughes he would have won. and
a shift Of less than 1000 votes you'd
have thrown the California election
to Hughes.
A great deal was heard following
the election OF 1915 tn the effect that
the West and South had combined
against the East and had won an
election and that this meant great
permanent realignment In American
political affairs. New York in that
year went against Wilson, but he
won in spite of that by developing
unexpected strength TN the West.
Is there any real prosoect that Gov
ernor Cox, In this interesting and an
imated campaign can duplicate the
performance of Mr.. Wilson in 1916 OF
come anywhere near IL?
cox NOT so STRONG.
Has Mr.. Cox any chance, though he
lose New York and most of the East,
to gain enough strength in the West
to overcome it7
A square examination OF the facts
does not warrant the conclusion that
Mr.. Cox can do what Mr.. Wilson did
four years ago. SO far as the East
Is concerned 1t is now quite plain
that Harding will carry New York
State with its huge block Of votes In
the electoral college. This is shown
by polls, straw votes, the trend Of
the betting and otherwise. In fact
some of the predictions currently
made as to the size of the Harding
ma jority in New York State seem
| ri~h havnnd helief
Scanning the West In a hurried way
II is entirely clear that IL Mr.. Cox
achieves any such winning in Western
states as Mr.. Wilson did in 1916 he
will have to do it in the next three
weeks.
LACKS WILSON'S GRIP.
Up to this time he has no such grip
on the Western States as Wilson then
had.
Mr.. Wilson. shrewdly advised By
clever campaign managers, found that
vast element of the voters hearkened
to the slogan, HE kept us out OF
war" That discovery was made soon
after the campaign got under way.
1t was found to make a hit, especially
in the West.
The result was that the slogan was
made to work overtime. with results
tnat astoHisneu tue sINepupilCdn itdo-
ers.
This year Mr.. Cox would like to EN-
ploy the League of Nations issue with
similar effectiveness. 1t Is improb-
able he can do It, despite the fact that
press dispatches have described him
latterly as urging the League cove
nant with the fervor of an evangel-
ist."
THINKS WILSON MAIN ISSUE.
That Mr.. Cox has to face situa-
tion fraught with great political diff
culties Is plain. Indeed, IL is the be-
| lief of some of the most astute politi-
cal observers in America that the
| public Is not going to settle this
campaign primarily on the issue of
the League OF Nations. The Wilson
Administration has accumulated a
heavy store OF antsgonisms I'm the
last seven years and there Is much
to the statement that the issue be-
tween the parties Is Wilson and anti
Wilson: that the deciding factor in
November will be the insistence Of
many voters that the time has come
for a change.
Take up, for a moment, n few of the
Western States which Mr.. Wilson
carried. Callfornl promises to go
Republican this year by heavy vote
Hiram Johnson Is lined up for Hard
ing, has spoken for him in Callfor-
MIA. and will make number OF
speeches In the East for him.
ANsAs GOING REPUnLIcAN.
Kansas, by all the signs, viii go Re.
publican. In fact. Kansas Republican
leaders, declare they Will give Hard
ing a majority OF 100000. Nebraska
looks decidedly Republican. Washing
ton state also is understood to be
headed for the Republican column.
Hero are four important Western
States which went for Wilson which
Cox seems 60 have slight, II any,
chance for carrying.
on the other hand; the Republicans
will evidently lose no Western State
which they carried In 1915.
Taking into account the conditions
only In the states named. II win be
seen the advantages OF the situation
ore heavily with Senator Harding.
II Is the simple truth, not oyersta-