New-York tribune., 1922-01-28
Veterans in Congress See
Republican Success and
Own Heads in Jeopardy
if Breach Grows Wider
Not Backing g Third
Party. Kenyon Says
Attacks May Bring Crisis,
However; Harding Seeks
I" Bring About Peace

w ASHlNGTON, Jan. 27.-DeVclop-
mcnts of this week in connection with
tho national agricultural conference
have made it plain the agricultural sit
uatlon in the United States is charged
with political dynamite. Old-line poll
ticians of both parties are concerned
over the conditions and it is not exag-
eeration to say that many Of them arc
! trembling in their shoes.
Tho agricultural bloc in the Senate
and House is ono of the elements in the
situation which is giving concern to
the old and regular leaders. The bloc
is much talked Of in some quarters as
possible nucleus for great third
party movement, which might develop
vast proportions and possibly sweep
the country in 1924. This talk. how
ever, proceeds without an accurate con-
ccption Of what the bloc is. The third
party movement is being freely agi-
tated IN some Of the agricultural states
OF the West, and efforts arc being made
to round up the dissatisfied agricul-
tural clements and labor into third
party If such party develops, the
agricultural bloc will not go along with
1T, although there is no doubt some
OF the leading men in the bloc would
become a part Of the organization
The bloc is composed Of both Repub-
licans and Democrats and OF conser-
vativc Republicans and progressive Re-
! publcans. In the bloc i'm tho Senate,
Tor instance, arc conservatives like
Cood'ng, of Idaho, and Bursum of New
Mexico. Also there are progressive Re-
pub leans, such AS Kenyon, OF Iowa; !;
Borah. Of Idaho, and Johnson, of Cali
fornia.
7alk that the bloc is out to make war
on the Pre- sident or on "old guard" Sena-
tors in the Republican party was fatty
denied to-day.
! At the same time it was made plain
that the criticisms of the bloc by the
i President. by Secretary Weeks and
I others close to the President are re-
. scented by the bloc and that, il the at
taclt' ssc continued, there is no way of
telling what Will happen in the way Of
break in tho Republican ranks in
Washington.
Harding Placatcs Farmers
The agricultural conference was. as
matter Of fact, called by the Admin
istration after a careful weighing of
the political situation. This is we'll
: known in Washington. It was called
because many Of the Republican lead
crs confront with alarm the possibility
Of. hosts Of farmers leaving the Fe-
purpose in calling the conference at
once to placate the farmers and dis
I scminatc the idea that the Administra-
ton was seeking to help the farmer
and in so doing this to dsarm the
/ agricultural bloc in Congress. 1t was
not expected the President would say
anything which would be regarded as
critical Of the agricultural bloc
/ though in his annual message he had
spoken for party regularity and prac-
ticaly criticized the bloc FOR not keep
! ing swithin party lines. However, the
! President in his address before the
conference did refer to the bloc, say
. ing the welfare Of agriculture was not
! the concern of any section, class OF
j bloc. but the concern of all.
This reference was taken by many
! of the agrculturists at the conference
as criticism of the bloc, and all this
week there has been an undercurrent Of
talk about it, with threats in some ot
the moro radical quarters to rcbuks
the White House. The conference
wound up by adopting resolution tha
commcnds both the President and the
! bloc. This is hailed by some of thu
more outspokcn members Of the bloc il
Congress as impiedly thrust at tho
Admin stratiOn.
The real situation to-day is tina
while there is some bad blood between
tho agricultural bloc on one side anc
the Administration and regular Re
publican organization leaders on the
other, the chances arc that this will
rot extend to an open breach. AS. 4;
matter Of fact some Of the ablest o.
the regular Republican leaders. fear
ing there has already been a politica
error made in criticizing the bloc, hav,
set out to Gu tivatc it and work with
it. How successful this movement i:
remains to be seen.
Farm Conditions Factor
Much will depend on what is done
in Congress as to ceisation, what il
done in an Administrative way, ant
whether conditions in the agriculture
states arc gradually improved. Sc
long az those conditions continue bad
there will always be the possibility o
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