The Washington times., 1923-12-08
JUMP
ON COOLIDGE
MESSAGE
Old Guard May Seek Coalition
With Reactionary Demo-
Gratis to Save Program.
BY JOHN T. LAMBERT,
Coamonolitan MAYA aarrlne.

Cosmopolitan News Service.
President Coolidge's message
has plunged Congress into q tur-
MOL Of bitter strife that threat-
ems to defeat every important
measure in his program.
The liberal forces from the
West are out for it with q gun.
The Democrats denounce it, at
least from force of habit. His
own party is filed with ambitious
enemies who will give it the leg
every time they meet it in the
dark.
Conference was Planned.
President Coolidge may not be
able to get very far without the
full-hearted support Of the farmer.
liberals They have demonstrated
their power. both in the House and
Senate. He had hoped to be able
70 play with them. Senator Ladd
or North Dakota had been called 10
the White House for frequent con.
ferences. Coolidge had planned to
ask them all to q conferences Just
before he began writing his mes
sage, but other work prevented.
He was anxious. to reach friendly
UNDERSTANDINGS and negotiations
But he win now have to fight his
battle against them rather than
with them. Every one OF them
from the veteran Iadd to the
novitiate Magnus johnson. already
has taken q healthy swing at the
message.
Magnus johnson said he was dis.
appointed. Ladd said the same.
Shtpstead said he wasn't tlfsaD.
pointed: he expected nothing. Fra
zier, Dill and Wheeler. among
others. condemned it. Senator Ia
Toilette will marshal the forces
against IL as soon ais his health
permits. Senator Capper, looked
upon by the ultra-Iiberals as = mid.
dle-Of-the-road radical, who may, be
the Presidents running mate for
vice president. was rather luke.
warm In his comment.
Aid In Unexpected Quarter.
The friendliest approval was from
Senator Borah, who has,been strug-
Cling the past two weeks, to keen
the Republicans liberals from holt.
ing and whose own Candidacy For
re-electiop he will have to intrust
next year to a Republican conyen.
ton rather than to a direct. State
wide ballot Of the people OF Idaho.
These Westerners assert that the
President has said, In substances. to
the farmers: You're better mr.
| than you know; don't raise so much
wheat; diversity your crops"
They charge his only concrete
plan e TO help the wheat specuIa.
tors take out Of storage the wheat
they bought from the farmers 81
10y prices and which they have
held Tor the top market.
The President gave Their, - ~ Z.
portunity to mistake his ideas
No complicated! kcFfenles. ~ "a.
lief, he said, mo plan for govern
ment fixing OF prices. no resort Ia
me public treasury Will, be of any
value in establishing aRricuiture.
Simple and direct methods nut info
operation by the farmer himself are
tion."
Senator Magnus johnson, in his
FIRST speech, to be made before the
american Legion here December liz.
Will be prepared to point out that
the railroads. steamships, street
railways. contractors-in fact al
most everyone but the soldiers and
farmers-got subsidy of some sort.
He will be followed by other Sena.
tors in general attack upon the
message.
President Coolidge seems deter.
mined to go to their own consti.
tutents over their own hedas IL
necessary. He has done what he
believed was right and is willing to
fight it out on that line.
It is not at all unlikely that siren
uous efforts viii be made to secure
coalition between, the Old Guard
Republicans and some Of the reae-
ttonary Democrats from the South
in order to force the Presidents
plans on railroads and wheat re-.
lief through both branches. This
would force liberal Democrats and
Republicans alike to become regu-
lar or else to break off and form
a new party along distinctly pro-
.gressive lines. Only the jealousy
held against President Coolidge by
some of the Old Guard wheel.
horses who. themselves. would like
to have ,his office. stands. in the
way of proposing the overtures to
the standpat wing Of Democrats.