The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-03-09
DEMOCRATIC
POLICY STILL
IS UNDECIDED
Congressional Elections Con-
sideration in Party's Atti-
tude No Conclusion Was
Reached at Conference.
CLEAVAGE APPARENT
BY MARK SULLIVAN

WASHINGTON, March 9.-On the
part Of the Democrats there is no crys-
tallization Of intention about the four
power treaty.
Some Democratic senators who, on
principle, believe strongly that uni
versal association like the league OF
nations is the only sound kind of pact
for US to enter. will vote against the
present treaty because they regard it
as inconsistent with universal asso-
citation.
Some others. with equal sincerity
but on different principle, will vote
for the present treaty because they
regard it as unpatriotic and altogether
undesirable to undo an important part
OF the work of the Washington confer
ence. So much for principle.
On grounds of political expediency
there is a similar cleavage. The
Democrats, who have looked carefully
into the practical politics of the pres
ent year, say there is nothing but dis
advantage for their party in any or
ganiZed opposition to the fourpower
treaty.
Two Possible Results
II that opposition should be success
full and if the four-power treaty should
lbe destroyed by the clearly respon
sible action of the Democratic party
one of the two results might follow.
One result might be that this action
would become an issue in the coming
congressional elections; and the Dem
ocratic party would have to bear the
odium of it, odium the Democratic
leaders believe that would cost them
many votes, assuming that the state
of public opinion about the treaty re
mains as favorable as it now is.
The other possible consequence OF
the Democrats accepting responsible
ity for defeating the four-power treaty
might be that this agitation ON sub
iect of foreign relations would broad
en- out greatly and the Democratic
position on the league of nations
would become an issue in the con
gressional elections.
Don't Want Either.
Those Democratic leaders who are
responsible for party success this year
don't want either of these possible re
suits to happen They want the elec
tion this year to be fought on purely
domestic issues. Against this there
are some Democratic leaders who
don't particularly want to win the con
gressional elections this year. BY tha
l mean they don't want to win Sc
greatly as actually to have majority
in the house. Their theory is that will
control of the house, but lacking con
troll of the senate and the White
House. they would merely be embar
Iassed and could not do any good 70
the party.
These leaders would prefer to SCI
the Republicans keep everything thi
year and make the big Democrats
fight two years hence, when the presi
dency is at stake The leaders VIII
feel this way, because they have no
any motive of party expediency, ar
rot all disposed to refrain from oppos
ing and. if possible, killing the -four
power treaty.
No Capitalization
II can be taken for certain tha
there is as yet no crystallization Of pal
ty policy on the question. The recen
conference of party leaders at WASH
ington talked about it but not very ser
ously and certainly not conclusively
The fact that Wilson and some othe
important party leaders have persona
convictions against the treaty weigh
much. At the same time these part
leaders are disposed to refrain froI
trying to persuade Democratic sen;
tors to vote against the treaty.