New-York tribune., 1920-01-11
Rapid Gain i'm Health Re-
wives Intimations Presi-
dent Will Be Candi-
date on Treaty Issue
Action of McAdo0
Regarded as Hint
Ex-Secretary's Failure to
Avow Candidacy Is Con
sidered Due to a ssTin''
By Carter Field
NeW York Tribune
WdShiMQto1l Bn1-enn

NeW York Tribune
Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, Jan. 1O.-Informatior
that President Wilson's recovery is pro
crossing at a rate that in all probabil-
ity will permit his being candidate
for reelection if he desires to do 81
reached some prominent Democrats to.
day and caused considerable brown
study over the situation. The infor.
nation is not that the President coulc
stand making the ordinary vigorous
stumping tour, but that ne will be well
enough, for instance, to make the kind
of campaign William Mckinley made
in 1900 for reelection.
The Democrats are putting this with
the Presidents failure to make an,
statement taking himself out of the
race in his letter to the Jackson Day
dinner, with his declaration that the
peace treaty must be the issue in the
campaign unless there is whole heart.
ed' ratification, and with the failure
of William Gibbs McAdoo to declare
himself in" the race by attending the
Jackson Day dinner.
The Presidents letter to the Jackson
Day diners, as has been pointed out by
many newspapers in editorial comment
creates an issue which only the Presi-
dent could properly fit.
McAdoo May Have Got Hint
The mantle might drape over Senate,
Gilbert M. Hitchcock, of Nebraska, but
the Democratic leaders have not been
giving the Nebraska Senator very seri-
Gus consideration.
Mr.. McAdoo, it was recalled to-day
spent day or two at the White House
recently, and it was after that visit
that he dropped line to Democratic
headquarters here, saying he could not
attend the Jackson Day dinner, and
intimated rather broadly that he was
not candidate. Mr.. McAdoo, the
impression while at the White House
that the President might run again,
and, of course, would not stand in his
way;
The information received by the
Democrats about the Presidents health,
and which spread all over the town
with great rapidity, comes from a
source which commands respect. 1t is
deemed more interesting in what it re-
fleets relative to the Presidents opin-
ion regarding his own condition than in
the mere fact that it reports him to
be gaining physical strength.
Nomination His If He Wants It
The President is said to believe that
in short time he will be as vigorous,
both mentally and physically, as he
was before his breakdown. There was
nothing in this information to indicate
that the President intended to run
again, but the knowledge that the Presi-
det thought lie would soon be in as
good shape as before his breakdown in
terested the politicians in that they
began putting this together with the
Presidents demand that the treaty be
the issue in the campaign, and SO be-
gan wondering if the President did not
intend to be the candidate.
1t is generally accepted that Presi-
dent Wilson can have the Democratic
nomination if he wants it. 1t also has
been generally accepted in Washington
up until to-day that he did not want it.
The attitude of his secretary, Joseph P
Tumulty, has led many Democrats to
believe that the President desired the
nomination of Attorney General Pal
mer. Backers Of Mr.. Palmer, on hear
ing this report about the President to-
day, said that unquestionably Mr..
Palmer would line up behind the Presi-
dent instantly if the President wants
the nomination.
Democrats Much Disturbed
But it has been demonstrated so
many times in the history of Ame rican
politics that a President can force
his own denomination, or for that mat
ter the nomination of any one he wants
for his successor, that there is very
little discussion of that point The
only question talked about is: Does
Mr.. Wilson want the nomination?
To say that the Democrats are dis
turbed is putting it very mildly in
deed. Most of them were much dis
turbed at the Presidents demand that
the peace treaty should be the issue.
Their gloom was increased by the Wig
orous stand taken by William Jennings
Bryan that the party could not afford
to go 70 the country on Article x.
Just as they were reconciling them
selves to what seemed to many of them
more or less hopeless fight the edi-
torials of Democratic newspapers from
all over the country came pouring in,
the great majority taking Mr.. Bryan's
side in insisting that the treaty fight
should be compromised and the treaty
ratified, instead of taking it into the
campaign.
"World" Editorial Worries Backers
The statement of "The New York
World" this morning that the Presi-
dent and Senator Lodge were talking
nonsense" was regarded as body blow
That 1.-THE World" should say Senator
Lodge was talking nonsense" meant
exactly nothing. That is what they
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