The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-09-11
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Special Dispatch to The Reformer)

Especial Dispatch to The Retormer.
Copyright 1922.
WASHINGTON, Sept. Ibid
Woodrow Wilson have any connection
with the resignation of Justice Clarke
from the supreme bench, to which he
originally nominated him, or, to put II
another way. did the influence of Wood
row Wilson bring about the retirement
of Mr.. Clarke at the very moment when
the return of former Governor Cox from
Europe revives the latter's presidential
boom?
These questions have been variousiy
asked and answered by Democratic poll
ticians who cannot believe that Mr..
CIarke's primary reason for leaving the
bench is to read books, but that his real
reason is to take an active part IN lne
advocacy of American membership IN
the Ieapup of nations. Mr.. tlarkeS own
letter to President Harding stated that ne
wished TO serve his neighbors and es-
mousse public causes. The most lmpor-
taut cause in the mind of Justice Clarke
is the league of nations and his thoughts
run so much along the same lines as
those of Woodrow Wilson that his entry
into the political arena as a champion OF
the league would surely be favored by
some expression on the part OF the Dem
ocrats of Ohio in favor of Clarke Tor
| president The Democrats could not OBJ
! iect to candidate from Ohio since 1t Is
not unlikely that Mr.. Harding will be
renominated unless he declines TO serve
again. In any event. the biggest fact
about the Democratic situation is that
! for some reason or other Mr.. Wilson Is
not overly fond of Jim Cox as a candl-
| date much as he likes what Mr.. Cox
! has done in advocating the league of ma
| tions as n Democratic issue. Possibly 1t
| is shat Mr.. Cox was so Overwhelmingly
4 beaten and possibly because Mr.. Wilson
| would prefer another type of candidate,
| and possibly it was because the former
! Ohio governor was nominated as re-
| suit of a combination of leaders in the
! Democratic party who are, In Mr.. Will
| sons oninion unfriendly to hlm-the
| truth is that if the former president We're
| asked his ideas on the subject and lie
were to give them frankly he would not
/ urge Mr.. Cox for the presidency. 1t
was because Mr.. Wilson steadfastly re-
| fused to send letter of greeting to the
dinner given i'm honor of Mr.. Cox just
before his departure for Europe that Mr..
| Wilson and Mr.. Tumulty, his former
| secretary. fell out
/ Certain circumstances make it appear
that several of Mr.. Wilson's friends in
Ohio, who can interpret his mind, are
back of Justice Clarke'S resignation
from the bench. One piece of circum-
stantial evidence is brought forward
in Democratic circles thus: For many
months Newton ID. Baker. secretary of
war in the Wilson cabinet and the man
who TO the last has retained Mr.. Viii
sons unbounded confidence has been
asked to participate actively in Ohio
politics. He refused. Yet recently when
he was asked to accept the Craftsmanship
of the Cuyahoga county committee OF
the Democratic party he accepted. much
to the surprise of these same observers
who now believe that he was inspired by
Il desire TO help the Wilson cause in Ohio
through the interjectiOn of Justice Clarke
into the situation.
As a piece of political strategy, the
lining up of the Ohio delegation fol-
Clarke instead of Cox would have an i'm
portant bearing no doubt on the actor
of national Democratic convention. As
Stunning that Mr.. Clarke is himself not {
party to the politics of the situation ant
is simply Interested, as he says, in es
pousing the league of nations. neverthe
less. his availability as Democrat,
candidate for the presidency is bein,
widely discussed by Wilson men, as h,
has the stature and intellectual capacit,
for tue job. All this, of course, is base,
on the theory that Jim" Cox can b
beaten in Il state he has thrice carried
He Is Il fighter who knows no obstacle
and he IS never beaten till the votes ar
actually cOunted-and some of hi
friends say not then, either.