The Colorado statesman., 1921-10-08

of course, Democratic interest In this
mntter just about as keen us that In
evidence In the ranks of the dominant
party.
senator James L.. Watson OF lndi-
ana has been suggested ns n leader
pro TEN for the Republicans during
the Massachusetts senator's absence.
There Is nothing certain, however
about the choice of Senator Watson,
lie belongs to the conservative school
OF Republicanism and ii Is possible that
the progressive school members VIII
prefer somebody else and will make an
attempt To secure II compromise.
The Republican situation In the sen
ate today is entirely different from
that which obtained In the congress
which was brought to an end on March
4 last. Prior to that time the Repub-
llcan majority in the senate wns eX-
ceedingly small. and in fact Mt times
IL hardly could be accounted as II ma
jority, because II never was known
definitely whether all the Republican
| membership could be held in line ON
certain legislative matters.
Today things have changed and
while the Republicans occasionally
are put to 1t to line up all their mem
bers in behalf of Legislative policy.
| they have such wide majority mnr-
gin TO go on that worry except ON GER
tain international matters seemingly
Is absent from the ranks.
No Break With Senate Yet.
Nothing yet has developed in the
senate to make for an immediate
breach between the President and the
majority of his partys representatives.
In the upper house. but history has
shown that breaks do come and Ii may
! be that President Harding will have
some trouble with some Republican
senators before all the international
| relations questions definitely have
| been answered.
| 1t is, of course an old story now.
/ but during the campaign President
/ Harding expressed himself as being
| favorable to some kind of an aSsocin-
| ton of nations which would make for
| lasting peace and therefore for lasting
| good i'm the world He expressly de-
/ clared that an association of nations
/ did not mean the League of Nations
/ There are some Republican senators
who are opposed to any Kind of an
association of nations unless ii be one
which is stronger in name than in fact.
These Republicans fear and say they
fear that such an association would
mean the surrender of certain Amcri-
can rights. privileges and doctrines.
Recently it has been said that Presl-
dent Harding has reconsidered his
thoughts on an association Of nations
and intends to make no proposal at
any time looking TO such pact There
is. in truth. however, no sharp evil
dence here that the President has
changed his mind.
Revolt May Be Avoided.
Some men in high position believe
that when the conference on limitation
of armaments is ut an end The admin
istration will have something to pro-
pose which it thinks will bring the
nations closely together in some kind
of working agreement To direct
world affairs in the path which they
should go.
OF course all this is in the future,
but it may be that if such Il plan is
proposed President Harding will have
his first experience with something
which will look like revolt in the
senate. 1t may be that noThing will
come of 1t, and that plan for an as
soclation of nations will be SO outlined
as to meet with the approval of the
Republican senators who thus far have
fought every proposal which they
thought was looking toward closer re-
lations between the United States and
foreign governments. However, there
has been no administration for years
which at some time or other has not
met with opposition difficulties from
some of the members of its own party
in the upper house.
The senate is just getting back to
work after its short recess. There are
several great matters of legislation to
come before the body almost immedi-
ately, and it is certain that the CON
sideration which must be given to such
things as taxation and tariff will keep
the minds of the senators for some
little time off international matters
which have in them the germs of pos
sible future differences not only be-
tween members of the senate, but be
tween some of the members and the
administration.
Takes Little to Stir UP Things.