The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-01-30
ARE DEMOCRATS ID MAKE LEAGUE MAIN
 CAMP PA|GN ISSUE?
Party Leaders Hesitate to Go Before the People With the 1920 Battle
 Cry
By HUGH ". ROBERTS Washington Bureau, The Age Herald.
 Hnn nouIdoon HlusE1tna

800 Davidson Building.
 Washington, January 2s.--(special.) The address of James NJ Cox at Jackson Day dinner in Ohio Thurs day night, has democratic politicians in Washington deeply engrossed with problem involving political ex- pediency. If the party hopes to win in the congressional elections this year, and the presidential election in 1924, should it return to the people with the League of Nations as an issue? Should 1t go to the people on a plat form bitterly assailing the washing ten conference for the limitation of armament?
 It is not a question of right or wrong. It is question of expediency.
 The democratic party is overwhelm- ingly in favor of the United States en- tering the League of Nations. But by ne means is 1t Solidly in favor of such course. There are senators of the United States who think the party would be certain of defeat were 1t to carry the league issue to the people. There are other senators who sup ported the covenant when 1t was be- fore the Senate who think that the democrats should go to the people With an expose of the congressional and administrative record of the re- publican party rather than with the league. They feel that the United States will eventually become a mem hnr fT hn rse too early for the people to reverse their vote'of only 15 months ago. \ Underwoad's Opinion
 Senator Oscar W. Underwood, dem ocratic leader in the Senate, and delegate to the Washington confer ence for the limitation of armament, while not discussing with this cor respondent the league as an issue, did express opinion that it would be un- wise for the party to eo to the peo- pie bitterly arraigning the President for having called the Washington conference, or bitterly assailing the results of the conference.
 Tt is my opinion" said Senator Underwod. that the people of the country will approve the work of the conference.-the net result.
 There vii be criticism, of course, for what the conference failed to do. It is to be regretted that the confer- ence could not bring about reduc-l tion in land forces. And there are other omissions for which the confer ence might bel criticised,
 But for the results achieved by the conference, there will be little criticism, in my opinion. I think the people will generally approve of the results.
 Ut might be unwise, therefore, for the democratic party to go to the peo- pie with criticism of the conference. There are other fundamental issues which might be. productive of more telling results for us."
 The speech of Cox was construed in Washington as his first bid for e second nomination. Cox has many friends in Washington who would like to see him nominated again. There are other influential democrats who would prefer the nomination of another man.
 Interviews to the above effects can- not be obtained. Time Is not ripe, it is explained. The party goes into the congressional campaigns united. Aft erwards, factions will be developed.
 W. G. McAdoo, in this connection, Is Watching Cox. And Cox is watching McAdoo. There Is a very strong idea in democratic circles here that neither will win the nomination.