The New York herald., 1922-07-01
CURRYING TO THE BLOCS
DEFEATE M'CUMBER
Continued from First Page.


as the most severe blow yet admins
tered TO the scheme to impose further
burdens OF taxation on the people al
ready complaining against the ma
tional assessment of individuals for
the support of the Government.
Now See the Light.
Senators and Representatives who
believed it TO be within the power of
the politicians in the American Legion
to dictate results in political contests
have been manifestly disillusioced by
the returns from North Dakota.
There were approximately $4,000 ex-
service voters in North Dakota. The
politicians in the American Legion
expended much money and energy in
organizing these voters for Mr.. Nc
Cumber. The results are held to show
the ex-service voters refused to be
organized in support of their leading
champion in Congress.
Mr.. Frazier, conquerer of Mr. Nc
Cumber, put through State bonus
bill, which he held to be sufficient, be-
fore he was recalled by popular vote.
The defeat OF Mr.. McCumber therefore
has provoked pronounced degree of
pessimism among the politicians in the
American Legion, as also among Sem
ators who until yesterday accredited
them with the power to control indi-
viduai Senatorial destinies.
What effect Mr.. McCumber's defeat
will have on his future attitude on the
bonus scheme is mbatter of conjec-
ture. Some of his associates already
have relegated him to the lame duck"
class. made up Of legislators who have
more or less of a claim on the party
in~power for past services and must
be taken care of.
1t Is quite logical to assume that
Mr.. McCumber will instance greater
respect for the policies of the Admin.
istration than he has in the past-also
that he will attach much less impor-
tance to the blocs that enunciate poll
cies generally antagonistic to the Re-
publican party.
Must Curb Enthusiasm.
IF Mr.. McCumber runs true to the
form Of most '1ame ducks" he will
zealously support the policies of the
Administration and thereby qualify for
a fat job later on. In order to do so
he must curb his enthusiasm for en-
terprises predicated on the, bloc sys-
tenn and in conflict with the policies
Of the Administration.
The North Dakota results have
proved conclusively that the support
Of the soldier bloc. the agricultural
bloc and the ultra-high tariff bloc are
not worth having. The agricultural
bloc. headed by Senator Capper, multi
farmer made a personal
appeal to the farmers Of North Dakota
to return Mr.. McCumber. The farm
ers of North Dakota rejected Mr.. Nc
Cumber and left him only the orga-
nized machine vote in the cities.
Fairly complete returns received to-
night indicating a plurality for Mr..
Frazier established this fact beyond
question. The agricultural bloc in the
Senate could not, or at least did not,
control the agricultural vote in North
Dakota.
Out of the multitude Of causes held
to be responsible for the humiliation
Of Mr.. McCumber at the peak OF his
legislative career the bonus looms like
a sore thumb. Even the bonus sup
porters. who displayed considerable
to-day over the McCumber
incident, admitted the fact. Their in
sistence that they will continue the
fight to compel enactment of the
bonus raid sounded hollow and insin-
cere.
Showdown Imminent.
They made no move to carry out
their declaration of yesterday that
they would demand an immediate
showdown despite the decision of the
Republican leaders to keep the Ford
-McCumber tariff bill (also factor
in accomplishing the defeat of one of
its joint members), which has the
right of way in the Senate.
Their chief interest in the matter
seemed to concern the probable atti-
tude Of Mr.. McCumber toward it in
the future. Some of the bonus Sena-
tors plan to ask him pointblank in a
day or two IL he intends to keep up
his enthusiasm for it now that the
soldier voters of North Dakota have
expressed their disapproval of his
course.
Senators on both sides of the cham
ber devoted much more attention to
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