Evening star., 1922-09-23
CLARKE STARTLES
POLITICAL CIRCLES
Revival of League Issue, as
Democrats Soft-PedaI 1t,
Causes Surprise.
G. 0. P. MAY ALTER PLANS
Ex.Justice Joining Cox Fight Like
ly to Force Administration to
Closer Relations With Europe.
RY DAVID LAWRENCE.

BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Reviyal of the league of nations as
an issue, the fiat statement that the
election of 1920 was not Verolct
against the league and that man
rust be sought to lead public OPINION
on this question would nave pdsSeu
by political Washington as or sec
ondary Importance today Were~lt HUI
ro,. the fact that John H. Clarke. re-
Gently resigned as associate justice
Of the Supreme Court Of the uniteo
States. issued a public statement e"-
bodying those sentiments.
Mr. Clarke's resignation was unex-
nected and so is his public appeal at
, time when former Gov. Cox, VINO
returned recently from Europe, sees
the political wisdom of soft-pedallns
the league as an issue just before the
congressional elections and when
democrats generally prefer to focus
attention on the work of the repub-
lican Congress.
The independent spirit OF Justlce
Clarke'S appeal is what attracted at
tention Most people here intimate
in democratic affairs were at a loss
to interpret the statement lheS
didn't know whether 1t Slgnlhed
break with former Gov. Cox. with
whom he has been politically 1rlenolS
in the past, or whether 1t foreShadoW-
ed a readiness to join with Mr.. CoA
in espousing the league issue ener-
getically the moment the congress
Sional elections are over. .When Jus
tice Clarke speaks of searching Tor
the man to lead the league movement
ii is naturally assumed that he mas
searched Ohio at least. but then 1t is
recalled he wrote a very warm letter
to Gov. Cox just after the 1920 elec-
ton and praised him for the fight he
made in behalf Of the league.
Non-Partisan Move Likely.
The chances are Justice Clarke isn't
going to express a preference. but Will
Join with others who favor the league
and form d non-partisan body. to
which republicans as well as demo-
Gratis who believe in international CO.
operation can subscribe. and the like
lihood is that it will not become a po-
lttical body until the attitude of the
1924 candidates is defined.
So far as Justice Clarke himself is
concerned, he starts out exactly as
did Justice Hughes, when reports first
began to circulate that he was seek
ing the presidential nomination.. MIR.
Clarke denies he is seeking ANY pub
lie office" He doesn't say, of course,
that he wouldn't accept nomination.
Neither would Mr.. Hughes. as the lat
ter always used to argue that to say
that would be to f1atter oneself into
believing nomination would be ten
dered, and he couldn't bring himself
to believe such would be the case. Yet.
his very attitude led to the nomina-
tion--and he accepted.
But the activity Of Gov. Cox Is at
this time of even greater political
significance. With characteristic un-
Willingness to remain defeated on
anything, Gov. Cox, who like Justice
Clarke Ifeefs> that the league is a
burning issue, went to Europe to
study conditions first hand. He fooled
those who expected him to compli
cate the political situation on his re-
turn by emphasizing the league ques
tion.
G.. o. p. Is Disappointed.
The republicans would have well
coined the interjection of any acad
emic question which might draw at
tention from Industrial troubles and
other accumulated political difficult
ties. Instead Gov. Cox contented him.
self on his return by saying the
league of nations was doing nicely
and that at the proper time the
league covenant would be revised to
suit the United States.
OF far more Importance to this cam
paign, however. was Mr.. Coxs i'm
piled charge that republican lndIf-
ference to Europe was responsible for
Germany's plight. He insisted that
reparationS was the big issue and that
America should have been represent
ed on the reparations commission. AS
consequence of his speech, Mr.. Cox
is receiving Invitations to speak in
German communities as well as before
trade bodies and business organiZa-
tions interested in the development of
commerce with Central Europe.
1t is acknowledged that the sweep
ing republican victory in 1920 was
due in large part to the acquisition
of democratic voters of Irish and
hostile to the league because they
disliked President Wilson's connec'
tion with 1t. The Irish thought the
league meant Il Strengthening or
British influence and rigid cove
nant that compelled the United States
to help Great Britain against Ire
land. Since that time. the Irish Free
State has been created, and Ireland
herself has applied for membership
IN the league, while Great Britain
has agreed to vote for Ireland's ad-
mission. AS for Germany. her states
men are clamoring for admission to
the league and France alone stands
in the way
Democrats Expect to Recoup.
The democrats are counting upon
the return to their party of these
elements, which were disaffected in
1920. They expect the league to be
an asset instead of liability in
1924. and Gov. Cox is planning to
enter wholeheartedly into the con-
gressional campaign and speak his
mind on the subject of American aid
in settling the reparation problem.
Since his return from Europe, Sem
ator Mckinley and Representative
Britten of Illinois, two republicans.
have come back. too, with friendly
words for the league. The invasion
Of Europe by American tourists is
also counted upon to increase the
sentiment for American cooperation
with Europe. Gov. Cox feels that the
American people are in a receptive
mood to hear about the league and to
support a solution of world problems
With American aid. Justice Clarke
feels the same way. too. and that's
the significance of his statement.
Two results are likely to flow from
the situation-the republican admin
istration, under Mr.. Harding's leader
ship will take a more active part in
world affairs. and agree to an Amer
loan representative on the repara-
ttons commission. and thus check
the democrats to some extent on this
issue. or else the democrats will force