The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-06-10
CLOSE ESCAPE Of
IOWA REPUBLICAN
WORRIES HARDING
Administration Fears Its Can
didate May Lose In Min
neSota Election


WASHINGTON, June 9-The ad
ministration has been jolted by the
close escape of It's candidate for Con-
gress In the Eighth Iowa district
few days ago. There are also
fears that the republicans will have
difficulty in the special election in
Minnesota which has been called to
fill the vacancy left by the death of
United States Senator Knute Nell
son. The Minnesota republican pri-
mary campaign, which is entering its
final week, has developed a high de-
gree of factional bitterness and
eight or nine candidates are seek
ing the nomination. Trades and
com binations have appeared to leave
their usual imprint of bitterness dur
ing the campaign following the pri-
mary.
Administration speakers will be
sent into Minnesota after the primary
to assist the republican nominee.
Harding is not overly ANXIOUS to
make a test fight of the Minnesota
special election because the farmer
laborites there are strong and are
conceded about an even chance OF
winning. But as republican de-
feat would be hailed throughout the
land as forerunner of national
rout next year, the administration
must choose the lesser of two evils
and make a strong play for vic
tory.
Blow To Administration.
1t is necessary that something be
done to offset the near-defeat in
Iowa a few days ago when the re-
publican candidate for Congress was
elected by barely 1000 In the Eighth
district. This district returned Hor-
ace NJ. Towner, now governor OF
Porto Rico, by 1000. and the normal
republican majority is 5000 to 5000.
Though the republicans won, 1t was
by such a slender margin that the
democrats have interpreted the re-
suit as significant victory. republi-
cans, silent publicly, admit privately
that it was severe blow to the
partys morale.
The real danger to the administra-
ton in the Minnesota situation lies
in the fact that the anti-Harding
progressives will support the farmer
labor party in order to add another
member to their bloc in the Senate.
They now hold the balance of power.
numbering ten or more margin than
sufficient to swing the vote of the
Senate either way they choose. Min
nesota failed to return a republican
senator for the first time in tho his
tory of the state last November when
Henrik Shipstead. farmer-labor can
didate, defeated Senator Frank B.
Kellogg, who stood for reelection as
the administration candidate An
other farmer-labor victory would
whip up the morale OF the LaFollette
progressives and create no end of
trouble for Harding in the next Con-
gress and in the primary contests
next spring.
Prosressives To Fight
For it is the plan of the progress
sives to go into the northwestern
states and seek progressive delegates
in the republican presidential pri-
maries. They want especially to
carry the Dakotas and other western
states SO as to undermine the popular
strength of the Harding forces before
the nominating convention meets
Behind it all is the big question as
to whether the progressives will
openly oppose Harding's renomina
ton. If they are encouraged by the
result in Minnesota next month, and
by the subsequent presidential pri-
tlmaries early next year. LaFollette
may decide to stage an open fight in
the republican convention. While
Harding's friends are confident of
his denomination. even in face of a
progressive fight, the party split
would weaken the republicans in the
election campaign. giving the demo-
Gratis n large opening at which to
drive their wedge by appealing for
the support of the disconnected re-
publican DrOpreeSiVeS