Evening star., 1922-04-13
COLLEAGUE views
START COMMOT|ON
Former Candidates Revival
of Old Issue Called Bid
for Party Leadership.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Former Gov. Cox of Ohio has started
something of a commotion in the;po-
litica1 world. Democrats as ,welf as
republicans may differ as to the ulti-
mate effect of his attempt to revive
the league of nations as an Issue be-
fore the American people, but his
readiness to champion again the
question Of international cooperation
10 interpreted as a bid for the lead
ership Of the democratic party. which
has been noundering without direc-
tion or guidance since the over
whelming defeat of 1920.
Those who know James NJ. Cox and
his record In Ohio say he is never
beaten-that many man would have
been discouraged after a defeat such
as he sustained after his first term
and was elected governor for two
terms thereafter.
ANY one who has believed Mr.. Cox
is out OF the running and Is not to be
reckoned with found out differently
this week, when the former standard
others had feared to tread and boldly
announced his faith in the league Of
nations issue.
Eject Upon Congress.
The effect in Congress has been to
arouse discussion, in which, of course,
even democrats not particularly un-
friendly to Mr.. Cox have questioned
the wisdom Of interfering the league
issue into the congressional campaign
when there are SO many other things
that have happened in Congress or
failed to happen, which can absorb the
stump speakers this autumn.
Republicans are not so comforta Bile
4, tA Iaa a. a n 70
as may seem on the surface. Senator
Medill Mccormick Of Illinois, one OF
the original irreconcilables. took note
of Mr.. Cox's utterances and gladly
welcomed the issue, and some demo-
Gratis promptly said the Illinois sena-
UP to divert attention from the record
OF this Congress.
But the truth is even Mr.. Cox has
not begun to shape the league issue
in the form in which, politically
speaking, it would be most advan-
tageous for the democrats to handle
1t. To argue merely for the entry OF
the United States into the league
of nations says nothing particularly
new, and permits the republicans TO
repeat their contention of European
ENHANCEMENT but there Is another
phase of the greater question of in
| ternational cooperation, which is
bound to be embarrassing to the re-
pubiicans themselves and the demo-
Gratis, especially Mr.. Cox, are shrewo
enough to know the vulnerable spot
! in the republican armor.
Senator McCumber, chairman of TIE
all important Senate finance commit
tee and entitled to be considered as a
republican leader, has himself handed
the issue to the democrats. He has
asked, What has become of the asso-
citation of nations promised by MT
Harding?' While the league cove
nant was rejected by Mr.. Harding, ne
| offered substitute-associa OF
nations, Pro-league republicans, In
cluding Secretaries Hughes and
Hoover. Joined in the campaign state
ment that vote for Mr.. Harding
| meant a vote for an association OF
! nations. .-......
Occasional Conferences.
There is every reason to believe
| that Mr. Harding considers his work
in that direction completed. He has
announced the formuia-not an as
sociation Of nations. but association
| with nations. This means an occa;
make treaties between them. The
four-power treaty is one of them.
Nothing, however, has been done in
conference with European powers
with reference to economic matters.
\ and the democrats, of whom many
helped to ratify the four-poweri pact,
will insist that an ENHANCEMENT over
thousand miles away, Is good prece-
dent for similar engagements three
thousands miles across the Atlantic.
Since the 1920 campaign many
things have happened pointing to the
need of international cooperation.