Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-01-04
&. o. p. Riding to Disas-
trous Fall for Lack of
Leadership,
FEAR HEAVY LOSSES
IN FALL ELECTIONS
Reaction Looked For This
Year Cause of Anxiety
Among Republicans.
D.! Robert j. IIender,


United News STAFF correspon,,.,,
WASHINGTQN. Jan. a.-presi,s.nt
Harding is being urgently pressed.
by administration leaders in CON
sreFs and iieutcnants throughout the
country. to take an immediate hold
on the political rctns OF tho marty
ana more forcibly assert his powers.
The death Of Senator Penrose. Tho
expected resignation Of Postmaster
General VIII Hays and tho cst,hI;,h
c' strength o! the bloc activities in
Congress. have combined to c,usa
grave anxiety TO administration lend
crS.
"ith the passing Of rcnrose. fol.
lowing so closely the death of Son,
tor Knox. the administration has ,,,,.
senator Lodge OF the old-time I.ad-
eFs In the upper branch of Congress
and his leadership siEnally failed
during the last session.
Poor Leadership in Hou.e.
IN the lower branch the Presidents
course mas been 1bstructed through
Dau ADVICE from his licutcnants. De-
ieat OF his recommendations for a an
per cent reduction in surtaxes af,.-
lie hhd been prevailed upon 10 write
Il letter SO recommending, was a blou,
10 MS leadership that powerful In
huences in the party arc still talking
about.
Meantime machinery has fallen into
the hands OF blocs and ipdiv,d,,,I.
capable OF directing Icpis,,,ior
whether to the liking of the presiden,
ana other administration leaders or
"''' rms DOC action, TO no small
extent dictated by resentment of the
Middle and Far West to "OId C;uord.
leadership, is the gravest cause ne
concern.
Party slump IL On Way.
IL is not denied by administration
leaders that Harding can have mo
denomination in 1924 IL he wIsbes !,
NOT is IL denied thR, as tic outIook
sh'pcs UP now. there will be serious
ieouclionS In the Republican maiori.
'ieS In both Senate and House in tbe
| elections next fall.
AS Senator Penrose told fri.,dv
three days after the last election "J,.s
100 sweeping. Too much dead wood
VIII DC round to have been washed
VIZ WIN inc tide. The Democrats are
pound TO regain much of this lost
ground for the simple reason that
our ma)orities are too unwieIdy."
IL is the :car of administration
leaders now. however. tha, in The
losses expected next fall. tbcr. will
be reaction which will have lis ef-
feet upon 1929. Within the Old Guard
ranks themselves there are some
serious contests expected From the
standpoint OF 1924. the contest Sena-
tor New faces In Indiana against
former Senator BeveridEe for the
Republican senatorial nomination
! stands out.
Real Fright for New.
Beveridge, former Bull -Mooser.
mas thrown real fright into ad-
ministratioh ranks Senator Wat
son. OF course. is for New. but all
reports indicate n tremendous un-
dercurrent of opinion against him.
Were Beveridge to beat New Il
! would do as much as anything else.
it is stated, to fan the progressive
fires already smolderinG in the Mid
die Vest
Governor Allen, of Kansas, is Il
figure TO be watched in 1924. and he
is geographically right" in so far
as the agricultural bloc is con-
ccrncd. Senator Capper.' OF Kansas.
already has warned that if 1924 does
not prove To be another 1912, the