Evening star., 1923-10-20
DEMOCRATSCLA|M
c. O.P. RANKS SPLIT
See Pinchot- Coolidge Feud.
Begin Active Stocktak-
ing in Own Party.
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Democrats have begun to rate theiE
presidential prospects for 1924 as
fair and warmer. The change in the
barometer of their hopes whicn reg
istered low and falling when Calvin
Coolidge became President. is due TO
what democratic leaders consider TO
be a budding rift in the republican
Lutte They think the outbreak OF the
Coolidge -Pinchot "feud' Is the fore
runner of a slump in the Presidents
fortunes.
Coincident with the more optimistic
mood in which democrats find them
selves comes a report of an important
move in the McAdoo camp. McAdoo
supporters are known to have come
to the conclusion some time ago that
they cannot by any possibility cap
ture the two-thirds vote necessary
to a choice under the party's tradl-
tional convention rule. They deter
mined therefore, at a recent conan
in Washington, according 10 tne
writer's information, to attempt an
abrogation of the two thirds ruie.
They would like to have the 1924 con-
vention work under the rule govern
ing republican presidential nomtna-
tions. viz, majority rule. III Gnuea ,a I
1904 delegates at the democratic ma
tional convention. A two-thirds vote
calls for 729 Ia as necessary to nom
mate. Under a majority rule oh'S
The McAdooites apparently believe
such a total is in sight. They claim
the middle west and west are solid
for their favorites and that enough
southern delegates are obtainaole etc to
s'p,t him over" under a majority rule.
BY no stretch of their fondest lmagi-
nations can they see him making the
two-thirds grade.
Launch Drive Soon.
The campaign to smash the two
thirds rule is to be launched, accord
ing to the McAdoo camps reputed
plans. at the midwinter meeting of
the democratic national committee In
Washington. This will be held some
time after the republican committee
meets, but whether that will fall
within December or not until jan
uary, Chairman Corder Hull has not
vet settled. The McAdoo scheme ap-
pears to be aimed at creating the
right kind of sentiment within the
national committee. with hope OF
victory for a ma jority-rule decision
in the rules committee of the nationa!
convention next summer.
Mr.. McAdoo will be in Washington
next week for one of his periodical con-
ferences with his leading supporters.
The question of Judge Rockwell becom-
ing McAdoo's campaign manager is to
be definitely discussed.
Democratic leaders interviewed by
the writer hold out small prospect
that the McAdoo project, if it really
exists. will materialiZe. The demo-
Gratis consider the two-thirds rule
''the safety of the party" and one of
its rrnst scored traditions. Leaders
not favorable to the McAdoo cause
opine any effort to break with that
tradition would prove a boomerang
for the candidate or the group that
made it. Yet the former Secretary or
the Treasury's friends may feel that
the emergency is so urgent that the
game is worth the candle.
Mr.. McAdoo's high-water marx al
the San Francisco convention was
vote of 467 on the fortieth ballot. on
the eve of the nomination of Gov.
James NJ, Cox. A Asconsiderable num-
ber of those votes came from south
ern states. like Alabama. which in
1924 are certain TO be loyal to the
Underwood cause. On the other hand,
RIcAdoo counts next year uDOn dele