Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-07-13

Three men of the south-United
States Senators Underwood of Ala
bama, Carter Glass of Virginia and
Joseph T. Robinson of Arkansas-de-
serve to be mentioned In any discus
sion Of presidential candidates. on
the democratic ticket, not because
any one of them appears to have a
| chance in 1924, but as favorite sons
| they will command certain delega-
lions that must be reckoned with be-
fore a final selection is made.
There are two reasons why the
three senators, able men though they
be, would hardly be chosen. One, of
course. is the political habit of the
democratic leaders in seeking a can
didate. not from the certain demo-
cratic sections, but from the Lncer-
tain or doubtful territory. Similarly,
the republicans rarely pick a man
from Pennsylvania. because 1T is as
solidly republican as Virginia is dem
ocratic.
Are Liberal Conservatives.
The other reason, however, is not
SO controlling. but it will have an
important infiuence-all three men
are liberal conservatives. 1t will not
be enough to be progressive" in 1924.
for If the democrats care anything
about the west they must actually
name radical" The Ford movement
is symptomatic of the radical wave.
This would be an ideal occasion for
William Jennings Bryan. Were he
able today to make the kind of cam
paignS he made in 1896 and 1900 he
would fire the imagination of the
agricultural west. Politically speak
ing, he reached the climax of his
career too soon.
For they are thinking, talking and
preaching Organism out west today.
There is an even more radical COM
plexion to the electorate of the west
than Bryan ever attempted to bring
about in his palmiest days. Even
President Harding has caught the
western waves and has begun to get
more and more in tune with them as
he SoJournS in the west.
Senator Oscar Underwood is one of
the ablest men the democratic party
ever produced. He is wet" He
has the confidence of business men.
He is especially adroit a leader
the House and Senate. Had he ema-
mated from New York state there
would today be little question about
the probability of his selection. The
politicians have not forgotten the
strength Mr.. Underwood developed in
the Baltimore convention of 1912
Carter GLASS; Record.
has contributed to public service one
of the outstanding pieces OF legisla-
ton of this generation-the present
federal reserve act. AS Secretary of
the Treasury he made a splendid rec
ord. He has always been identified
with the progressive" school of
democracy The barriers to his NOM
ination for the presidency are not
alone his southern residence, but his
lack of especial appeal to the radical
elements of the west. OF course. If
the democratic party strives for an
eastern and southern combination of
electoral votes the progressivism or
radicalism of either Mr.. Underwood
or Mr.. Glass would not be a factor.
Then both would probably be elm
mated because the northern demo-
cratic organization leaders have
usually been able to convince their
southern brethren that the only
chance to win the northern vote in
the doubtful states lies in the selec-
ton Of a northerner as the presiden-
tial nominee. Practical politics rather
than logic makes such a course GUS
tomary and 1t is unfortunate that men
like Senators Underwood and Glass
suffer that handicap. But 1t exists
and no political analyst can ignore ii.
Chance for Robinson.
AS for Senator Robinson of Arkansas
he will have a chance to get in the
Congress AS leaderof the democrats
in the Senate in succession to Senator
Underwood, Mr.. Robinson will be the
master strategist. 1t was just after
Mr.. Underwood served his party as
the leader of the House in 1912 that
he developed his greatest strength
in the democratic national convention
at Baltimore. Arkansas is sufficiently
western to appeal to some of the
agriculturalists Of the wheat and
corn belt. but here, too, If the sec
tional argument doesn't eliminate
Senator Robinson from the race, his
opportunity will turn entirely on
what kind of a radical he is Will
he be able to strike the Ford note
the Bryan or La Toilette key to the
west?
In the hands of Mr.. Robinson lie to
a large extent the fate of his party.
even though he may not win first
place on the ticket himself If he
does not make his party more radical
than the Harding leadership of the
republicans indicates that the in
cumbent party will be, he cannot hope
for the western vote. The latter will
either remain republican-concen-
trating on state eIections-or throw
the weight of Its influence to a third
party movement.
The west is in the mood for change.
IT Is cropping for a. Bryan or a La
Toilette. That's the secret of the
Ford strength. Any real radical can