Evening star., 1923-11-26

The presidential campaign has ac-
tually begun. judging by the COM
ments of the American press. Senator
Hiram Johnson of California threw
his hat into the ring just in time to
get in the South Dakota primary
Except for his policy of hands off"
in foreign affairs, editors analyzing
his. platform are agreed that 1t is
somewhat vague, and they ask which
way he is observation-disclosures
or sideways.
AS the Chicago Daily News tinde-
pendent) sees it, Senator Johnson's
statement rmay please those who are
committed to his candidacy on per
sonaI or other irrelevant grounds,
but it will make no appeal to any
and leadership, not glittering gem
eralities, on the complex problems
facing the United States" and it goes
on to say: THE only fundamental
thing about his attack upon the spe--
cific proposal to enter the world
ness and irrationality." The Grand
Rapids Press (republican) asserts:
"When Hiram throws his sombrero
into the 1924 arena with a statement
that reaction and progress must
fight it out, people are not quite
sure on which side they must place
him. Having waved his red cloak
at the beast of reaction and -four
ished his sword. he might retreat
precipitately, as heihas the past two
oats to bribe the animal off, or as
when he lodged his duty as a SEN
ator by falling to appear to vote in
the Newberry case" Taking excep-
ton to his demand for the direct
presidential preference primaries and
declaring his foreign policy must be
cIassed as reaction" the Duluth
News-Tribune (republican) says, be-
fore considering Mr.. Johnson's claims
to the nomination on their merits, a
demurrer is in order. 1t suggests
that The should first establish his
claim to the title of progressive at
least to the extent of making it clear
which way he is progressing" as
Tthere is nothing to indicate that 1t
is forward" With somewhat the
same views, the Louisville Courier
Journal (democratic) continues, "he
would better stick to isolationism
and let progressivism alone-there is
no longer any such thing In this
country as Hiram Johnson pro-
gressivism." Likewise, the Nashville
Tennessean independent democratic)
feels, his efforts to resurrect the
lost cause of progressivism is a lit
tie touch of political comedy that will
add to the gayety of the campaign.
X x X
In the same view the New York
World (democratic) continues: Cap
itaI letters express the Johnson per-
sonality and the Johnson statement
of intentions. They also hide the
distinction between two other pos
sible labels, namely PROGRESSIVE
and 'progresstveS.' 1t is distinction
Hiram will have to make clear. Be
cause he clings to the word progress
sive' he has become. according to his
own assertion, a middle Of -the-road
man, which, according to the Detroit
Free Press independently, LEAVES the
impression that the senator Is at
tempting to appropriate what ne con-
siders popular and eHectiVe, rather
than express settled conVlctlons ana
principles
The fact that he seeks to compro-
mise with both sides of the road will
greatly disappoint his more enthusi-
astic followers in the primaries -
change that we fear may be his un-
doing" AYERS the Springfield Union
(republican). The Butte Miner (dem-
ocratic) also feels that because of
his sort of middle-of- the-road pol
ever 1t was" To which the Burling-
ton Free Press independently adds,
"in selecting a man to manage the
business of this great republic we do
not often choose for that tremendous
responsibility man who, as has
been said of Bryan. can set his mouth
going and go off and leave it," The
Norfolk Virginian- Pilot independent
democratic) believes, furthermore,
that "it will take a great deal OF ex-
planning to show that there Is enough
difference between the Johnson prin-
siples and those subscribed TO by the
trn inistration reactionaries to give
vitality to n rayolt" The Birming-