Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-07-20
RURAL OPPONENTS
BUSY DIGGING INTO
HARD|NG'S RECORD
Democratic Committeeman
Find Much to Please Them.
G. o. P. Comes Next.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

| oOLCMBCS, OHIO, July 20--ThiS is
| a miniature convention and not mere
ly a meeting of the democratic ma
tional committee. There are LOG mem
| bers of the committee instead of fifty
three. the women holding equal rank
as the representatives of their re-
Spective states and territories. and the
atmosphere here is one not unlike a
national convention. In the first place,
there has been a contest over the Sc
lection of a national chairman which
has tended to bring to the surface
some of the arguments for and against
the Wilson regime which circulated
on the convention floor and in the
lobbies in San Francisco. There is,
moreover. militancy and deter
mined air which may surprise repub-
licans when they encounter it, for
unquestionably the majority of the
democratic leaders are honestly con-
WINGED that they are going to win
with Cox.
The democratic nominee gave a
splendid and opportune exhibition of
loyalty to political friends when he
issued a statement saying his per-
sonal choice for national chairman
was Edward Moore of Youngstown,
Ohio who managed the pre-conyen-
ton campaign for the winner at San
Francisco. But he did not issue that
statement until after comforting with
Homer Cummings. the present ma
tional chairman. And the inference is
hat Mr.. Cummings explained that he.
too, was not seeking reelection as
chairman. Indeed. Mr.. Moore Garner
in the day had been quoted by in
innate friends as declining the posi-
ton.
Clears First Hurdle.
So Gov. Cox will have really cleared
| -. hxra hea s.
sion of ingratitude to his friend. Ed
Moore, and at the same time with the
choice of Cummings the governor draws
to his side much of the Wilson strength
in the democratic party. where the name
of Cummings is more or less Synony-
nous with that of Wilson, especially in
the west. and particularly after the key
note speech which Cummings delivered
at San Francisco. On the other hand.
some anti-Wilson democrats have open
ly said that they believed it wiser to
pick some one else beside Cummings be
cause Gov. Cox had gone SO far IN nus
conference at the White House last Sun
day as to give the impression or COM
plete surrender to Wilson.
But the job of Gov. Cox, who already
has the anti-WilSon following behind
him, is to acquire good hold on the
Wilson branch of the party. and when
once he has solidified his own ranks then
publicanism-
There is no doubt as to the conf
dence of the democrats gathered here
Whether it is going to be vindicated
on election day is another question,
but admittedly the leaders think their
chances have improved in the last
three months from an almost hope
less outlook to good opportunity.
The nomination of Harding at Chi
cago and Cox at San Francisco are
ho no "a
despair to hopefulness. The demo-
cratic leaders say the country was i'm
patient for change from the Wilson
administration, and that the demo-
cratic convention satisfied that crav-
ing by selecting a man who will Sc
lect new cabinet and give the coun-
try a new deal, but mostly the demo-
Gratis who are going out to wage the
campaign in forty-eight states point
to the republican nominee as one of
their chief assets.
Old Record Dug Up.
1t was somewhat amusing to see the
committeeman from faraway agricul-
tural states looking up Harding's
record. This visit to Ohio gave them
a chance to verify rumors which they
had heard concerning Senator Hard
ing's stand on public institutions. For
instance, Sam Amidon. national COM
mitteeman from Kansas, a state which
has had a grievance against the Will
son administration for fixing the
price of wheat and not fixing the price
of cotton. discovered. amid great glee,
that Warren Harding had made a
speech in the Senate when he voted
for the food control act. declaring,
in effect, that dollar was enough
for bushel of wheat. This speech
was printed and sent broadcast by re-
publican opponents of Senator Hard
ing in the presidential primary cam
paign this year. in which Harding
ran behind Wood, Lowden and john
son. The democrats collected ammu-
milton eagerly.
Another committeeman had a COPY of
Senator Harding's record of attendance
at the sessions of the Senate which
tended to show that the Ohio senator
was absent a good deal OF course, the
value of this argument may be Ques-
don't think the talzfests of the Senate
are worth attending anyway, may argue
that the Ohio senator showed rare judg-
ment by staying away.
To Look Up Liquor Stand.
Before the week is over the republican
executive committee and the republican
hosts will come here en- route to Marion,
thirty miles away, where the notifica-
ton of Senator Harding will be held on
Thursday. The republicans will dig into
Gov. Cox's record and make use of their
presence in Ohio to follow out the real
facts about the governors attitude on
the liquor question, which will be such
a vital factor in democratic strength in
the populous eastern states.
Already one hears suggestions that
the governor shifted considerably on
the liquor issue, and, of course, if his
record is vulnerable, the country will
hear about it through the republican
ammunition gatherers. Ohio is Ger
tainly the political center of the country,
full of politicians. committeeman and
committee women. Office seekers, would
be speakers, correspondents and the
usual caravan which follows in the wake
of presidential nominees