The Columbia evening Missourian., 1922-12-18
WILSON STILL
BELIEVEDHEAD
OF HIS PARTY
Recovery of Former President
May Lead to Organization
of Progressive Dem
ocratic Bloc.
AGAINST VOLSTEAD ACT
Attitude Toward Edwards In
dicates That He Would
Favor Light Wine
Platform.
By DAVID LAWRENCE
Copght 1922.

WASHINGTON. Dec. l8.-Talk of ihirt
party and progressive" blocs has hith
cr1o been confined to its effect on the
Republican party and has been looked
upon really as a revolt inside that party
but there is every reason TO believe the
progressive" movement will soon break
cut in the ranks Of the Democratic party
Woodrow Wilson's recent decision TO
take an active part in Democratic politics
is significant Of change in the mood Of
passive silence which has characterized
the Democratic party during the recent
outcry Of the Republican 'progressives
for a new deal in politics.
Mr.. Wilson is not by any means the
active man that he was when president.
But he is physically stronger today than
at any time since his collapse. He is
capable Of at least two hours Of sustained
work very day and he takes advantage
of it to write many letters and to see
people. He has been seeing an average
Of one caller a day and some days has
Rad many more. Most of them have
been old friends but some have brought
him information on the political state of
affairs. Everyone has gene away with
the impression that the mind of Woodrow
Wilson is as alert today as it was when
he was in the presidency and that his
reasoning powers are as clear as they
we're in the daysof wartime chaos.
WILSON A PROGRESSIVE
The former president naturally holds
close to his heart the International situa-
iion but he is much too good a political
diagnosiician to ignore the wave of senti-
ment on domestic affairs which made
itself manifest in the primaries and the
elections this year. The Democratic
party under his leadership prided itself
on the name progressive Mr.. Wilson
won his nomination at Baltimore in 1912
because he was progressive" and be-
cause the Democrats felt that they too
must offer. a progressive to win the SEEM
ingly popular support that was attaching
al tha, time 10 the Bull Moose movement.
If history repeats itself, if the PRO
gressive" bloc of today is endeavoring
10 capture control Of the Republican
party now as it tried in 1910 and failing
in that helped TO form a third party,
then the Democrats must chart course
which will put them in progressive chan
nels too.
Woodrow Wilson considers himself the
leader Of his party and the spokesman
of the progressive elements in Democ-
racy which he feels have dominated in
the last eight years Certainly the VIII
son forces, a combination of Palmer and
McAdoo men, were sufficient to control
the last Democratic convention when the
platform was under discussion. And the
Democratic nominee, James VI. Cox
promptly went TO see Mr.. Wilson and
won his endorsement So that, the Will
son view may still be said to be predom.
inant in the Democratic party.
PROHIBITION A FACTOR
Now here comes the most important
question Of all-prohibition. The form
er President knows what a part it plays
in American politics and probably agrees
with President Harding's recent state
ment in his address TO Congress that the
matter has by no means been cast out of
politics but is playing vital part in To-
cal elections. Mr.. Wilson vetoed the
bill which would have extended wartime
prohibition after the armistice but the
dys we're able TO pass it in Congress
over his veto. He was bitterly assailed
for this by the dry organizations. His
record on the prohibition question has
not been what the drys would like. He
started out in New Jersey by insisting
tina; it was moral and not a political
question and declared for local option.
He agreed to wartime prohibition or
rather the making of 2.75 beer chiefly
in the need Of conserving the ingredients
which were used in the manufacture Of
the beer.
LEANS TOWARD VETS
Since then, Mr.. Wilson has been silen,
because of his illness and such letters he
has written to friends have touched gen.
orally on international affairs. However
Mr.. Wilson was one Of the first 10 send a
message Of congratulation TO Governor