The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-01-26
DEMOCRATS
THRASH OUT
LEADERSHIP
Cox is Going to Europe-His
Friends Claim He Should
Control Reins of Party
New Chairman is Urged.
FACTI0NAL FEELING
BY MARK SULLIVAN

cratic leaders are here because Cox
is here. Some of them come to re-
new pledges of loyalty and others for
quite the opposite purpose Cox is go
ing to Europe, and it is insisted that
before he leaves the country for a pro-
longed stay the party machinery shall
be re-organized, and especially a de-
cision be made as to who is to be,
SO to speak, the official party leader
On that point, factional feeling
that has been accumulating ever since
the election. is close to a head. Ex-
Governor Cox's friends urbanely take
TIE position that the party leader was
chosen at the San Francisco conven-
ton, and that Cox is the man. Cox s
friends are not at all disposed to re-
lin1uish his leadership.
Is Equippinq Himself.
Their attitude leads to the inference
on the part of Cox opponents within
the party that he, having nothing to
do since his term as governor ended,
would like to spend the next four
years leading the Democratic party.
Cox's coming trip to Europe is inter
preted as sign of his intention to
equip himself for continuing leader
ship by familiariing himself with our
foreign affairs and all those issues
that hang about the Leabue of Ma
tions.
Demand Leadership.
That he should have the privilege
of leading the party in the formal
sense of being it's presidential candi-
date again three years from now, is
openly demanded by his friends. who
say it wasn't Cox who was beaten in
Noror,hor- hr,t nd that r0y
should have another chance.
The opponents of Cox and while
they base their arguments and actions
on the good of the party, it might as
we'll be conceded that most of them
are friends of McAdoo, claim there
should be a clean sweep and a new
deal, and that the party should at
once pull itself together under COM
pact and energetic organization to
take advantage of the Republican mis-
takes and embarrassments which are
obviously just ahead.
Craftsmanship Problem.
The immediate point at issue is the
meeting of the party deficit and the
question of whether or not a new
chairman shall be chosen.
The present official head Of the
party organization, ex-Congre sman
George White, of Ohio, was chosen
by Mr.. Cox just after the latter was
nominated last July. 1t is always tha
custom to accord to a candidate for
president the privilege of selecting
his own chairman to conduct the cam
paign.
Those Democratic leaders who want
to reorganize the party take the posi-
tion that this tenure by courtesy ends
with the election, and have been frank
in their demand that White now re-
sign, and let others take the leader
ship.
Resist by Inertia
The Cox group is practicing the
policy Of resistance by inertia. White
declines to resign, and his opponents
say that in this position he is in
fluenced by Cox and Cox's' political
manager. Ed Moore. of Ohio.
The other group declares that if
White persists in his refusal to call a
meeting of the national committee
they will bring such a meeting by a
round robin of majority of the So
men and So women. The anti-Cox
group claim that they have the ad-
herence of the bulk of the women
members and that with these they
have much more of the majority.
Three Men Mentioned
The men who are mentioned for
chairmcn if the anti-CoX group wins
their purpose are ex-Interstate Com
merce Commissioner Robert Woolley,
ex-Intcrnal Revenue Collector Daniel
S Roper. and Thomas L. Chadbourne,
of New York The last named seems
to be a curious combination Of rich
Wall Street lawyer and supporter of
such liberal men and institutions as
the Rev. Percy Stickney Grant and
association for labor legislation.
All three have been adherents OF
McAdoo. But their supporters claim
the movement is not in the interest
of any prospective candidate for hon
ors in 1920. but is wholly in the di
rection of party compactness and ag
gressiveness for the present.
Cox Experienced
Cox. in spite of the overwhelming
quality of his defeat, is not to be
looked down upon for the position o!
party leader, official or unofficial. He
is experienced and effective in organi
zatinn. He is rich and has no other
public duties. He could give the bulk
&C his time TO the work. and barring
tho atmosphere of recent defeat, he
could and would do a good job of pull
ling the party together in the sense
of detailed organization
In addition to Cox and McAdoo
Bryan Is active toward a purpose of
his own in the direction Of party lead
ership. In an issue between the
friends of Cox and the friends of Nc,
Adoo. Bryan would side with the
latter.
Party Deficit
The issue probably will be settled
soon. The party has deficit of about
three hundred thousand dollars. About
half of it is carried as a bank loan
but the other half consists Of ordin.
ary debts contracted during the cam
paign and long overdue, The chief
need of all for Democracy reorganiza-
tion is the country's need for an alert
and effective opposition party
Copyright 1921 by the New York
Evening Post)