The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-12
OLD GUARD FEARS
 POSSIBLE SPLIT IN
 REPUBLICAN PARTY
Never Dies, But Frequently Surrenders, and President Participated In the
 Last Surrender
By HUGH ". ROBERTS Washington Bureau, The Age-HeraJd.
 800 Davidson Building.

5O0 Davidson Building.
 Washington, October 1t--(Special.) The "old guard' of the republican party in the Senate, which never dies, but frequently surrenders is more deeply interested today in preventing a split in the republican party, na- tionally, than in any Legislation pend- ing or any previous pledges made to the people.
 The ''old guard" when faced with defeat at the hands of coalition of democrats and progressive republi=- cans, surrenders, and then stands sponsor for legislation substituted for that which it had previously pre- pared. At the present time no demo- crat or progressive republican Is more ardently espousing the substituted tax bill than Senator Penrose or Sem ator Lodge or Senator Watson.
 In the surrender of the "old guard" the President participated He was consulted and agreed to the propo sed procedure
 Surrender Is Complete.
 The tax bill, as it came from the Penrose committee, was regarded as a bill for the relief of millionaires and big business. The democratic members of the committee made minority report. This report was sp- pealing to the people of the country. The progressive republicans ein- braced it. As result of succeeding dynamic speeches by democrats and progressives, the leaders of the old guard took a poll and saw their de- feat written on tbe wall.
 Then it was that Senator Lodge. after consulting with the President and telling him that the defeat of the administration programme would cost the party it's prestige, sought the progressive camp and agreed to grant it's demands.
 Some time ago, as is recalled, Sen ator Borah introduced a resolution authorizing the President to call a disarmament conference. The Presi dent opposed it. The foreign affairs committee defeated 1t. But the dem ocrats and progressives agreed 10 put 1t over. When Lodge saw what was about to happen. he consulted the President. The "old guard" subse- quently surrendered and the Borah amendment went over without an op- posing vote.
 Conscious of strength.
 The democrats and prograssives feel their strength. As long as inc progressives contiuue to put princi- pie over party, pls dges over political precepts and policies, the republican party as 1t is represented by the "old guard will be unable to put into l effect any feature of it's programme. It is reasonably certain today that a republican tariff. which in all es- Eantfal xxto "old guard" would be impossible of enactment.
 The spit in the republican party in the Senate is as pronounced as the 1 split in the republican party of the House more than nine years ago. At that time House leaders. and espe- cially Speaker Cannon. were intoler- ant of opposition. He refused to com promise. As result. he went under. | and fin a. national sense the repub- iican party was divided into bitte-ly | partisan camps. 1n consequence, ] Woodrow Wilson, democrat, was 1 swept into the White House.
 Profit From Example.
 The republican leadership in the 1 Senate is profiting from the Cannon example fN Is timId where Cannon was recklessly bold. It is pacific 1 where Cannon was defiantiy pugna- cious. Cannon adopted the Napo- | ieanio motto.' "the old guard dies, but never surrenders." Senate lead | CTS think 1t better to retain the spells | of office even at the sacrifice of l pride
 IL remains to be seen whether the policy of accepting gracefully the i fdistasteful" inevitable will keep the republican party in power. The Sem- ocrats are encouraged to believe that | there is promise of them coming back" N |