The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-06-27
GILBERT CLAIMS DEMOCRATS WILL
 BE VERY CAUTIOUS
Says Conservatives Are In Control and for Demo- cratic Candidate of the
 Harding Type
By CLINTON W. GILBERT

gather, say to the men. "For heavens sake, cut out the issue.,
 If anybody hoped that the demo- cratic party was going to be like the youth "who bore mid snow and ice q banner with the strange device. ex- ceIsior," he probably will turn his back sadly upon San Francisco and wait for the committee of forty -eight 10 do its work at Chicago.
 If the nomination of Harding at Chi eago was a challenge. that challenge is not likely to be accepted at San Francisco. The democrats in conven- ton assembled would like to have a little Harding of their own. They have had their Wilson and they are discontented. They want no more big men presidents. They would like to have the Murphys and Taggarts and Fred Lynchs consulted habitualty by the presidents.
 NOT so BOLD
 But they have not the full confi- dence the republicans had. They feel that there are votes to be got>by max ing a bolder appeal to the popula. imagination than the republicans made and they seeN the necessity of getting those votes in order to-win. It was this consciousness that gave Hoover his strength in democratic circles while his political intentions were stiI doubtful and it is this which gives MT McAdoo the strength he still has.
 But if the delegates were as free to consult their own inclinations as the republicans felt they were they would name colorless candidate upon an average platform.
 curous illustration of this con servatism is the result in Nebraska MT. Bryan won victory in Nebraska On the liquor issue Mir. Bryan has ] considerable part of the Nebraska dele gation with him. On the government ownership of railroads and on his other radical proposal. Mir. Bryan has perhaps one Nebraska vote that he car control besides his own. and Nebraska is an old radical state long lea by MT Rryan. and the ancient home of pop ulisrn,
 WANTS TO BE CONSERVATIVE
 The convention wants to be con seryative It believes that the country is conservative. It is aware of ths labor vote and of the radical farm vote of the northwest. It needs that vote. But it means to offer no more in the way of liberalism than is barely necessary to catch that vote. That is it's mood. 1t may be betrayed by its
 
 the person of it's candidate. That is inconsistent with it's mood. That is the only chance of anything other thar a conservative defensive programme
 What San Francisco at this moment promises is second conservative party different from the republican party substantially only upon the League of Nations. When the plat form making and the candidate nam ;< i- likely to have had hss way and make the league the only issue of the cam, paign. The democrats will be reduced to defending the Wilson administra. lion issue. which will develop on the cost of living for example, in the pro- cess of attacking and defending the Wilson administration. But the only clear issue that is likely to be ere ated here in San Francisco will be the League of Nations.
 NOT A FIGHT IN SIGHT
 For a democratic convention 1t is s tame convention. There is not a figh in sight. The vets and drys were going to fight it out bitterly. but a: the delegates arrive there is an over. whelming desire to agree upon som; words which will mean nothing upoy the vital issue of liberalizine the Vol stead act. If anybody is going boldl, after the wet vote on the ground tha the extreme prohibitions of the exist ing law are an nnwarranted invasion of personal liberty. 1t win have to bt a third party.
 The wet idea here is disappearing out of the small end of the horn. Firs the vets were going to, declare fol states rights in interpreting thu eighteenth amendment. Next they wer going to keep mum in the platform and put up a moist candidate. Nov the most they propose is a moist can didate and have him conciliate the dry by declaring prohibition to De set tied issue while comforting the we vote with the thought that the heart o the candidate is with them even if hi reason Is not.
 COx'S WEAK POINTS
 The hydrometer measuring Governo Cox, the hope of the vets, records to day a low percentage. It is now sai that the wet issue cannot be raise against Cox. He will declare that pro hibition is settled question. If poll ticians are a timid lot, they are doubl timid this year on account of tho wom an voter. When you see one of then lodging an issue cherche la femme It Is so of booze or, to speak of it nor politely, personal liberty.
 It is true also of another issue tha worries the followers of Governor Co, The Ohio candidate is divorced mar Chivalrously, his friends say. he 1e his wife get divorce from him instea of obtaining one from her. What vii the women voter do to a divorced can didate? The political imagination shud ders at this question. Evidently no, that women vote the politicians havin reason for seeking release from mar riage cannot afford to be chivalrou' What, with it's fight over women. it fight over boishevism, it's fear of tn wets on one hand and the drys on tn othsr. it's inherent conservatism an it's desire to capture the labor vot' it's genuine hatred of Wilson. and ye it's feeling that it must observe tn political conventionalities and appea to love and cherish the President, tn democratic party here assembling not likely to get very far.
 WILL PLAY SAFE
 party as badly inhibited as tn democracy is not going to rise to gres opportunities. It will play safe rathe than make bold appeal to the imagl nation, The only escape from the fr tility of .a pussyfootinG and defensiv Sca mpaign would seem to De the nom aatioa of Ar. McAdoo. And 1t is th
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