Evening star., 1923-12-12
Politics at Large
BY n. o. MESSENGER

looks TO be the makings Of a bitter
fight. The campaign for the presi-
Dental nomination Is getting teeth
in It. Senator Johnson's New York
nanagersis quoted as saying that the
senator "is going TO make a drive in
Massachusetts and take the whole
Coolidge"
OF course, the President won't go
into any state in person. but his
supporters will make the drives for
him. Senator johnson will enter the
campaign personally. with his well
known aggressiveness. and fight for
his own hand.
Former Gov. Lowden's friends
as pre-convention seeker after
delegates, but hold himself In reserve
as a dark horse. In case of q dead
lock In the convention. and present
himself as compromise candidate.
Mr.. Lowden has been In Washington
several days. having come as guest
at the Gridiron Club dinner last Sat
quietly with many republicans since
he has been In town.
n r 4 X
A great many politicians are In the
Capital. republicans and democrats
Of prominence coming on tho Grid
Iron dinner and republicans from
every state being in attendance upon
the annual meeting of the repub-
lean national committee
Comment was heard upon the CO.
incidence. strategically considered, Of
the announcement OF the opening Of
the Coolidge campaign following 40
closely upon the Presidents address
to Congress. Visiting republicans
are practically unanimous in the
opinion that the reaction from the
Presidents speech was favorable and
campaign at the time he did was to
take advantage of the crest Of the
wave of public sentiment.
There can be no question of the
reaction on the Presidents propo.al
to reduce taxation. 1t might be de-
scribed as a tidal wave of approval
that increases as it advances. SEN
ators and representatives are ap-
praised OF 1t through their daily mail
from their constituents, while the
press of the country would seem 20
this proposition that Ii fs an issue
which any man can understand and
contains nothing abstruse. Every
citizen can figure out just what the
TAX REDUCTION would mean in Gol-
lars and cents to himself 1t needs
no expounding.
=
said to the writer, THE President is
going to be hard man for us to
beat on that one proposition alone"
Senator Johnson is for that and the
bonus too. but will have to show
how both can be effected, IL is said.
K X
Gov. Pinchot of Pennsylvania, who
came down to the GridIron dinner,
had what the politicians call his
platform" with him, a copy of his
proposed federal anthracite coal
control bill" In general way 1t
would provide for the broadest pos
sible control of anthracite coal in
interstate commerce by a federal
commission of three members, who
might be constituted the coal divi-
sion OF the Interstate Commerce
ministrative body. but proceed upon
its own initiative to investigate and
regulate the industry. The Inter
state Commerce Commission would
have no jurisdiction TO review any
order of the coal division.
The act would declare it unlawful
for those engaged in the production
and distribution of anthracita coal in
practices. to charge unreasonable
prices. to create monopolies in or re-
strain interstate commerce in coal,
or to engage in any practice which
tion against interstate commerce in
coal
Gov. Pinchot's plan would author
ize the coal division TO issue manda-
tory orders for compliance with its
recommendations when the public
interest requires. Appeal would be
authorized TO the United States Cir
cult Court OF Appeals as IN the case
of appeals from the Federal Trade
Commission.
Penalties would be provided as in
the case OF the stock yards act Of
Congress of 1921.
Yesterday, for the first time in its
history, the republican national COM
mittee invited women to participate
in It's councils. A woman delegate
from each state and territory sat in
the committee in person or by proxy.
At the national convention next
June they will be given full voting
power and become permanent COM
ponent part OF the organization.
r r p x
The recomm endation by the admin
istration that Cleveland be substi-
tuted for Chicago as the convention
CITY caused a violent outbreak of
Indignation in the Hiram Johnson
camp in Chicago. The administra-
tion was taunted by the Johnson
managers in the west with being
afraid of the Californian.
x y x
There was one man in the republic
can national committee meeting who
has helped make political history
William H. Crocker, the San Fran
cisco banker. II was his feud with
Senator johnson in 1915 that lost the
SUPPORT Of Senator Johnson's follow
era in California to Candidate Hughes.
against an each other. Mr.. crocker
throwing his support to President
Coolidge for the nomination in 1924.
X X y
There are all the elements of q
factional row in the republican party
in the committee assignment situation
in the Senate and House. although re-
publican leaders are doing their best
to prevent It becoming acute. 1t is
regard as loaded with dynamite.
.swe are having the time OF our
life" chuckied q democratic leader.
"sickinE these republicans onto each
other" The democrats are In closer