Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-09-20
HARDING CREATES
FERMENT IN BOTH
WINGS Of SENATE
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
ueased Wire Service to The Journal.)
DOWNRIGHT 1921


Copyright, 1921
WASHINGTGON, Sept. 17.-Prest-
dent Harding's selection of Senators
Lodge and Underwood as American
commissioners to the armament con-
ference in November has stirred up
: more ferment inside both the Demo-
cratic and Republican parties than
anything else since inauguration
day. For it means a complete re-
organization of both Uarties in con-
gress. 1t is being called the shrewd-
est political move in years. With one
fell swoop, Mr.. Harding has en-
barrassed the Democrats and delight
ed certain Republicans.
Several Democrats are still hoptng
Senator Underwood will decline to {. -
cept They feel that nobody in con-
gress is better qualified than Oscar
Underwood to lead the fight against
the tariff and tax bills framed by
the Republicans. BY training and
to conduct the minority fight. No.
body knows what went on in Mr..
Harding's mind when he subtracted
Oscar Underwood from the Demo-
cratic strength in congress by pick
ing him for the armament conference
commission. The Democratic poll
would be weakening his opponents.
They admit he has a right to do that.
On the other hand, President Har-
ding and Senator Underwood are old
friends. They were intimate in the
senate. Mr.. Harding respects and
admires the Alabama senator and en-
tirely aside from fitness for the post,
Mr.. Harding would feel more like
bestowing the honor and prestige of
an American commissioner to such
an important international confer
ence on oscar Underwood than any
other Democrat. 1t is unlikely that
Mr.. Harding wanted to embarrass the
is the effect of his action.
In all likelihood, Senator Under
wood will accept the place. He has
already been quoted as saying the
democratic and Republican party
lines should disappear on lnterna--
his desire to play hall' with the Re-
publicans on foreign policy. Hav-
, ing the personal confidence and trust
of the president and secretary of
state. Mr.. Underwood Will not be a
minority commissioner. He will know
all that his colleagues know.
AS for the situation in the SEN
ate. the fight against Republican tax
and tariff measures will have to be
led by Senators Hitchcock. of Ne
braska; Simmons. of North Carolina.
and Harrison, Of Mississippi.
But if the Democrats are in trou-
BILE. it is not circumstance to what
is being said inside the Republican
party. The statement is made by
some senator's that the president is
really getting rid of Lodge" 1t is
insisted that Republican leadership
in the senate has been far from sat
isfactory to the White House and
G hot f1J1 nIf11 70
organize the Republican leadership
was welcomed.
Again, nobody will ever know what
actuated Mr.. Harding to appoint Mr..
Lodge to the armament commission
instead of Senator Knox. for in
stance. who was a former secretary
of state and actually dealt with for
eign governments before. Mr.. Knox.
too, paid particular attention to Far
Eastern questions when he was Sec
rotary of state. 1t is pointed out
that if the president had felt en-
tire confidence in the Lodge leader
ship, he would have chosen Senator
party in the senate-the man who has
been the guiding force in Republican
councils on foreign affairs for the
last two years, and Mr. Harding
: could th5n have announced that
owing to the Importance # retain
majority leader. it was necessary to
choose somebody else and that Sena-
tor Knox was eminently qualified for
the position. The lodgic of the sit
uation pointed to Knox rather than
Lodge. That's why the gossip about
the leadership questions has ecquir-
ed good deal of momentum. While
Mr.. Lodge is absorbed N the du-
ties of commissioner to the arma-
D1ent conference. Senator James Wat
son. Of Indiana, will try his hand at
the leadership game. But there is
no certainty that he will be perma-
nently at the head of che party
forces. If he makes good he will
run things for the president. If he
fails, the administration will be COM
PEELED to shift about again. The ex-
pectation is that Senator Lodge will
be concentrating on the work of the
armament conference which may last
three to six months. That will be a
long enough interval for Republican
leadership TO find itself