Evening star., 1923-06-17

Hiram Johnson of California as a
possible opponent of the President
for the namination.
The republican nominee. they say.
must make the race on the perfor
nance of the Harding administration.
Why should Senator Johnson seek To
win the nomination, knowing that
fact, when he might well sit tight
for the next four years and then go
in for the nomination if he desires.
it is argued. If the country does not
like the Harding administration they
reason. why should Senator Johnson
seek to carry the burden of that
administration at the election next
year? Johnson could only win the
nomination--if at all-after ter
rife struggle if the President is n
candidate for denomination. which
would undoubtedly weaken the party.
Not Taken Seriously.
Nor is the third party talk taken
very seriously by the political lead
ers. AS for the progressives them
selves. in both republican and demo
cratic ranks. and outside those ranks.
they say that much will depend upon
the character of candidates nominated
for the presidency by the republican
and democratic national conventions
next year. and the platforms which
the conventions adopt. If both tn"
old parties should nominate COnser-
vatives, and adopt conservative plat
forms, then. some of the progress
sives say, there will undoubtedly be
third party in the field. with pro"
gressive candidates and A progress
SiVe platform. But the organization
of a third, it seems, if this predic-
tion be true. will not come until after
the conventions next summer. And
it is declared doubtful. under such
conditions, whether third party
would meet with any great degree OF
success. 1t might, however. result in
throwing the election of the Presi-
dent into the House of Representa-
tives, as provided in the Constitution.
if none OF the candidates received
majority of the electoral colleGr
votes.
One Meeting May BE Held Here.
Following the republican regional
meeting in Cincinnati, such meet
| ing will be held in Chicago, covering
/ probably Illinois, Michigan, Wiscon-
sin and Iowa. This meeting, it is eN-
| pected. will be held between July
| and Is. Other meetings will follow
in Kansas City. Mo; in Minneapolis
| in Denver, in Oklahoma. in New York
and probably in two of the Pacific
coast cities yet to be selected. One
| of the regional meetings probably
will be held in Washington. D. g., it is
said and the republican organization
| here, the republican organizations Of
Maryland, Virginia and perhaps Della
ware will be included in the meeting
! here.
| The republicans are laying partic
ular emphasis upon party harmony
| They deny Indignantly that there
have been party riffs of any serious
magnitude. There may be differences
of opinion in regard to the adherence
! 10 the world court as proposed by
! the President. but the world court IS
not an issue. they confidently assert.
| in the republican party. The world
court and the league of nations Were
! not discussed at the Boston regional
meeting, and it is not likely they
will be considered at other regional
meetings.
Issues To Be Joined Later.
/ AS a matter of fact, the issues in
| the campaign. republicans are say
F! ing. will be Joined later on. They
are anxious to have the voters of the
country made coGnizant of achieve
! ments of the present administration
and the organization now under way
! is largely to bring these achieve
ments and the policies of the admin
| istration prominently 10 the attention
of the people, and in a light that will
| be favorable So far as the world
court is concerned the republican
| leaders who desire harmony are put
ting on the soft pedal. The word is
passed along that the people are not
| interested in the world court. but
what they are interested in is pros
perity at home Give them plenty Of
prosperity and there is no doubt they
will not change parties, is the word
| going around.
| Another matter that is being soft
/ pedaled so far as national politics
! is concerned is prohibition. The wet
and dry issue threatens to be embar-
RAISING to the old parties next year
! But the inclination is to regard pro-
hibition as a closed issue nationally.
and to make an issue of enforcement.