The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-06-12
GOV. RALSTON IS
LOOMING IN
...1924RACE
Indiana Executive Likely to
Meet Demands OF Governor
Smith as Candidate.
BY WILLIAM HARD.

the core of considerable chloe"
Of States in the next Democratic
national convention, and the ten
dency of this "bloc" will be to-
ward nominating Ralston Of In
diana for President.
Such is the conviction gather
ing Roadway among Democratic
national observers at Washington.
They see in Smith a man who
not only will be the leader of his
own State delegation but who
will stand forth as the chief
champion Of a whole set Of States
and Of whole set Of ideas which
will profoundly influence both the
Democratic national platform and
the Democratic choice Of Presi-
Dental nominee.
Ralston Qualities.
Ralston is regarded as a man who
thoroughly qualities As q candidate
under Governor Smiths require.
n1entS on the wet and dry issue
Governor Smith denounces the
"fanatica1 vets" and the ''fanAtical
drys." Ralston ! is neither wet nor
dry to the extent Of fanaticisn1.
The States which it is expected
will be drawn together In the Demo-
cratic national convention toward
an AL Smith wet-and-dry policy and
purposes are the. following:
New York, Massachusetts. Con-
necticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey,
Delaware, Indiana, Illinois, Wis.
consin, Missouri, Nebraska.
1t Is to be further noted that the
delegations from several of the
most influential Of these States will
be animated by no extreme enthusi.
asrn for Woodrow Wilson's League
of Nations. The Irish Democratic
elements represented by Smith and
Murphy from New York, Walsh
from Massachusetts,, SpeIlacy from
Connecticut, and Brennan from
Illinois, are as suspicious OF the
league as they are Of Britain.
Irish Influence Wet.
The prospective membership of
the Irish Free State in the League
Of Nations has not removed that
suspicion. The Irish influence in
the next Democratic convention will
be pro-wet ad anti-league and pres.
ent calculations are that on both
points this Irish influence will have
considerable consequences.
Because of such calculations. and
also because Of Senator Reeds as.
founding victory against all pro.
league opposition in Missouri last
year, the Democratic national coin.
nItttee in refusing to commit itself
to any outright pro-League posi-.
ton. In fact in a recent statement
Mr.. Cordell Hull, chairman OF the
Democratic national committee, has
used language which adroitly and
most convincingly leaves the door
open to some new definition of
in 1924.
This remark of his, according to
one Of the most ultimately informed
Democratic politicians of Washing
ton, has not Received sufficient no.
tice and analysis. 1t holds out the
prospect that while the Democratic
party will remain a party of Inter
national cooperation it will not
necessarily declare in favor of tie
sort Of Cooperation" which in 1920,
before France went into the Ruhr,
was thought desirable.
The wording Of Mr.. Hull's sisni-
bbNehitI lS DIS lOllOWSs
THE 1924 Democratic platform
will no doubt reflect the impartial
non-partisan views OF Democrats.
and OF intelligent Republicans as
well, by proposing a practical ap.
plication of the doctrine OF interna-
tional cooperation, embre cling all
the fundamentals and essentials Of
the foreign policies Of the recent
Democratic Administration, to con.
ditions as they may then exist"
In other words, the conditions Of
1924, being different from the con-
ditions of 1920, may require some
cooperative" method different
from the one so ardently defended
by the last Democratic Presidential
candidate.
Such a position would placate the
anti-League Democratic elements
which center in the strong tri-
umphant local Democratic organize
tions Of New York and of Chicago.
1t would also placate Senator Reed
Of Missouri, who was cast into outer
darkness by the last Democratic Ma
tional Convention, but who will walk
into the next one in a blaze of light.
1t Is held here that Ralston, of In
diana, will be acceptable to most of
the Smith-Brennan-Reed "bloc" of
States from the anti-League stand
point as we'll as from the anti.fanati-
cal-dry standpoint. It is admitted
that Ralston's record is personally
that Of pro-Leaguer. It is forcibly
contended, however, that his record
Is even more strongly that Of q regu.
lar party man. If the Democratic
platform of 1924 should veer away
from the League and should head off
strongly toward some other form Of
international cooperation" it 10 cal.
culated that Ralston would abide by
the party verdict.
Further strength is claimed for
this general estimate of Ralston' s
availability by dwelling on the fact
that Ralston is part Of the Indiana
Democratic situation which Is head.
ed by Tom Taggart.
In Democratic national conven-
lions 1t has been customary for New
York and Illinois and Indiana to
tend to go along together in certain
respects. Now that combination has
in AL Smith, of New York, leader
of the most dazzling personal i'm
pressiveness, and it has in Ralston a
notential Presidential candidate who
it is believed can command AL
Smiths support on both domestic
and foreign issues.
Are Against McAdoo.
with AL Smith now reported to
be about to go into conference with
Tom Taggaart at French Lick,