The Washington herald., 1921-06-05
WITH LARGE CAMPAIGN DEFICIT
G. G.O.P.FACES NEED OFLFTING
Sl,00OLIMTT ON CONTRIBUTIONS
Progressives Fear Breaking Away from Direct
Primary in Late Trend of Events.

ject Of debts is the cause Of a good
deal OF embarrassment 10 the COM
mittee- The matter Of csmpsiRn
expenditures and the broader SUB
lect OF the maintenance Of the di-
rect primary are brought forward
by two recent events
one was the declaring unconstf-
tutionsl by the supreme court in
the Newberry case of the statute
limiting the amount Of money that
can be spent in a senatorial cam
paign. This decision gives a set
back to the validity of the direct
primary practice everywhere. A
good many persons, including demo-
Gratis. sympsthized with the eXoner-
alton of Newberry. but at the same
time dislike to see a setback 10 the
direct primary.
When Newberry's case was argued
before the supreme court his conn
sci was the present secretary OF
state. Mr.. Hughes; and Mr.. Hughes
denunciation Of the particular use
OF the statute made TO prosecute
Mr.. Nevberry was expressed i'm
language which. coming from a
man like Mr.. Hughes. was very
strong. But while even Democrats
sympathized with what Mr.. Hughes
said. and with what the supreme
court decided. they do not like 10
see this added momentum given 10
a movement already easily sppsr-
ent. to rob the direct primary Of
the vogue which il HIS had for
some IL or Is years past.
Blow at Direct Primary.
The other incident which gave a
wound to the direct primary was
the refusal OF the senate to listen
TO the plea of Senator johnson that
Mr.. Blair, OF North Carolina, should
not be confirmed in a federal office
because Mr.. Blair, as a delegate
from North Carolina to the repub-
lican national convention last June,
had declined to be bound by a pri-
mary held in that state The result
of the primary called on the North
Carolina delegates to support Mr..
Johnson, but Blair did not do it,
When the matter Of Mr.. Blsir's
1 confirmation came TO q vote in the
senate, the session was secret, but
/ for a week past Washington has
/ talked much about the strength Of
the plea which Senator Johnson
made TO the senate that they should
punish this man for his failure TO
abide by the results Of the direct
primary. The senate turned John
sons plea down by a vote OF 5s to
MS
Fight. for Primary.
The senate was much Influenced
by the fact of Mr.. Blair's character
and high standing in his home
state. They were probably inhu-
enced also a little by the fact that
Senator Johnson's plea arose neces-
sarily out of what was TO him q
personal grievance IL the matter
had been impersonal as respects
Senator johnson he might have
made a little more progress. There
can be no question OF the depth OF
Senator Johnson's feeling on this
subject He believes, and the facts
unquestionably sustain him. that
there is abroad a spirit Of reaction
on the mart Of old guard republi-
cans against the direct primary.
To some Of his friends. Senator
Johnson has announced that he is
going to make Il his principal pur-
pose and activity during the next
year or two not merely to maintain
the direct primary. SO far as we
now have IL. but further to extend
the direct primary 10 such a point
that the nominees for the Presi-
dency at the national conventions
Of 1924 shall be determined bN the
direct primary method altoEether.
,CopyriEht. 1891. ~ y. Z. Evenins Rsa.
\ Incl