The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-03-04
HARDING TO KEEP
HANDS Off PRIMARY
Reaches an Understanding
With Beveridge Support
er I'm Indiana
WANTS NEW SENT
BACK TO SENATE
But VIII support Beveridge If lie Is
Nominated ShafTer Confident lie
VIII Win In Primary VIII BE Sup
porter of Harding Administration.
by DAVID LAWRENCE.

by DAVID LAWRENCE.
Especial Despatch to The ReformerD
Copyright 1922
WASHINGTON. March 4-Presi-
dent Harding and John c. Sbaffer, pub
Usher of string of newspapers. three
of which are in Indiana. have reached
an understanding about the political
contest between Senator Harry New and
former Senator Beveridge of Indiana
which throws an interesting light on
what the presidential attitude will be
toward Republican primaries throughout
the nation this year.
Mr. Shaffcr came 20 the White House
merely 10 pay his respects but inevitably
the conversation turned to Indiana poll
ties. The President is Il firm friend of
Senator Harry New who is seeking re
nomination and i'm his heart hopes New
will win. Mr.. Shaifer is Il friend of
both Senator New and former Senator
Beveridgc but believes the interests of
Indiana and the nation Will be served
better by the nomination and election of
Albert Beverage.
For weeks it has been said in Indi-
ana that President Harding would throw
the full weight and influence OF his po-
sition to Harry New and take an active
part in the primary campaign. Friends
of former Senator Beverage have hoped
Mr.. Harding would remain neutral and
preserve party harmony.
The President sketchcd to Mr.. Shaifer
the origin Of his deep interest in Harry
New, their many years Of companion
ship in the United States senate and
their earlier political relations. He made
it plain that it would be ungracious Of
him to take SIDES against Mr.. New. On
the other hand, the President said it was
his best judgment that the people ot
Indiana-the Repubiica party as n
whole in that state should decide
whether they want Harry New or Albert
Beyeridgc. and he was willing to abide
by their Judgment. In other words Mr..
Harding promised his full support to
Mr.. Boveridge if the latter is nominated.
Mr. Shaffcr. not to be Outd0ne and in
sisting that the fight was on high
T.ane Of intellectual values to the state
and the nation of two contcnding cam
didates. promised that if Harry New
were rcnominatcd he would give his
hearty support in the campaign for cleo
ton.
Il told President Harding. however"
said Nh Shaffer, that in nay Judgment
former Senator Bcvcridsc would win the
primary without question The queS-
tion of what a president should do in the
primary contests between members of
his own party IL always Il tIckhSh one 10
decide President Wilson INTERVIEWED
bntwcpn Democratic candidates in Ala
hama and Georgia at the cost of bitter
criticism inside hi own party. Many
presidents have helped senator's to re
nomination through the Vaccinations of
party politics that were not visible to
the naked eye In the old days when
senator's were elected by state legisa-
lures this was easy to manage but it is
NOT Simnic whom the presidential intiu-
encc has Ia be proclaimed to enough
party followers to be effective. In In
diana, most of the organization men are
lining up behind Harry New because
they have thought the President was
taking sides. What the effect viii be of
Mr.. Uarding's policy of hands off Is not
easy 10 conjecture but it looks as if the
formula of letting the party work out its
own state problems without interference
from the top will be applied everywhere
this year. Mr.. Harding made speech
recently in which he showed Glainly
that he would rather have the old con
vcnton system than primaries, but 50
long as the latter method is in vogue,
he wilt stand by the Judgment of the
people in the primaries.
While here Mr.. Shaffer took occasion
to refute the impression that if former
Senator Beveridge came back to the sen
ate, he would be ''th0rn in the side" OF
the Harding administration:
Albeit Beveridge is courageous and
independent and Mr.. Harding would be
getting n leader IN him as well as an
able senator said Mr.. Shaffer.
The Indiana fight rcviycs the old lines
of cleavage between PrOgresSiveS and
regulars in Indiana which came to Il
climax in 1912 It is going to be one
of the most interesting and strongest po-
Iitical contests of the year.