The Washington times., 1923-09-25
1924 ISSUES To
Be DOMESTIC,
IS BELIEF
Both Great Parties Inclined to
Let League and Court Cues
tions Be Forgotten.
i BY WILLIAM X. HUTCHINSON.
. international News Service.


international News Service.
|, with the League OF Nations vif-
ltually tossed out Of the next Presi-
dental campaign, leaders Of both
major parties today prepared Tor
series of political skfrmishes to de-
termine the battle issues Of 1924:
Senators and national committees
mem from both parties, were con.
centrating In the Capital, chiefly
due to the possibility OF an extra
i session OF Congress, and on every
hand, discussions developed over
the potential party policies for 1924
lIChanpions Of the farmers interests
and wet spokesman We'd with stand
pat party leaders in offering POI
] tential planks. Indications pointed
to considerable warfare within each
party before the final issfeg are
determined.
The League was slain as & 1924
issue by Senator Oscar W. Under
wood, OF Alabama. an avowed
candidate for the Democratic noTni-
nation. Because Of his prominence
in leading the League fight in 1919
Underwood's disavowal Of the
League undoubtedly will forestalI
all other attempts to revive Il
inong Democratic leaders.
Tariff As Major Issue.
Members OF the Democratic ma
sionaI committee. have been privately
committed to side-tracking the
League for good, but Underwood
was the first spokesman OF national
reputation to push 1t on the shelf.
Democratic committeeman and some
{ Democratic Senatorial leaders hope
to involve the tariff as d major
Il
spokesYnen want to fight the 1924
campaign on domestic issues.
In the Republican ranks, there ii
strong sentiment for abandoning
the League ISSUE Members of~the
Republican national committee fear
revival C3 the League may develop
into fight over the Harding World
Court program. If this should oc.
cur, they foresee wide split within
Republican ranks and for that
reason are willing to let the World
Court plan lie peacefully on the
party shelf alongside the League
issue.
Domestic Issues Seen.
Republican independents, such 81
Senator La Toilette Of Wisconsin,
and Senator Borah 81 Idaho. favor
domestic issues for 1924 la FolIefte
undoubtedly will insist upon them
and his chief objects Of assault viii
be thei Esch-C ummins act, existing
high freight rates and an alleged
gasoline monopoly.
The vets also win seek place III
| the political spotlight From Repul1-
| lican ranks, Senator Edge Of New
Jersey and Senator Spencer Of
Missouri, will have proposals for
making the Volstead act less drastic.
They viii be joined in this demand
by Senator Edwards OF New Jersey
and Senator Stanley Of Kentucky,
with Democratic counter proposals.
They would prefer to. fight the 1924
campaign on this issue alone.
Some Democratic leaders viii ega-
deavor to raise the World Court is
sue without mention OF the League,
but solely to enbarrass their ReptIlS-
lican opponents Al few Republican
irreconcilables - including Senator
Hiram w. johnson OF California
also would like this procedure, but
only for the purpose of waging war
against it within the party's own
ranks.
Unless President Coolidge should
indorse the Harding proposal and
fight for its enactment by the next
Congress-whfch is considered ex-
tremely unlikely-the World Court
plan will be left to die OF abandon
ment. In such event, the League is
doomed also, for Democrats win re-
fuse to champion it and will fight all
Republican efforts to bring It TO the
front in 1924 Unbiased observers
believe domestic issues, such as the
tariff. freight rates, high taxes and
the like will ultimately be the issues
of 1924.