Evening star., 1923-03-21
Politics at Large
BY N. O. MESSENGER.

Aou pcdC SOIHeDOQy Will
nobody" is an old aphorism among
politicians which seems to have ap-
pealed to the republican leaders who
have launched President Harding S
campaign for denomination. There is
a somebody" in the field now in
whose behalf 1t is announced by re-
sponsible individuals that he is an
avowed candidate for nomination by
the republican party as its candidate
Tor election to the office of President
of the United States. This does not
debar other somebodies from stepping
forward with the same aspiration-as
many, indeed, as may see MT to do so.
But the point is, they will have to
step forward pretty soon If they ex-
pect to get anywhere. The longer
they defer the stronger will grow the
organization Of the announced candi-
date. Politicians have a keen in
stlnct for allying themselves with a
prospective winner.
1t may be reasonably expected, the
politicians say, that the primarie., Tor
the selection of delegates to the ma
t1onal convention will send some
delegates who will express preference
FOR other candidates than President
Harding. 1t is quite likely that two
states will support "favorite sons
wisconsin may be expected to de-
clare for Senator La Toilette. 1t de-
pends upon Senator Hiram Johnson's
dictum whether California will go to
the convention with his name upon
its banners or fall in line behind
PRESIDENT Hardings candidacy. In
the meantime the Presidents hackers
In California will not let the grass
grow under their feet in strengthen
ing their organization in that state.
The men who will be in charge of
the Presidents campaign for re-
nomination have not the scintilla OF
a doubt as to his nomination and
never have had. The only question
under debate recently was as to the
time Tor announcement of his candi-
dacy. The reasons for their belief
in the ineyitability of his standing
Tor a second term, provided he kept
MS health, were obvious, including
not only his own yindication, but the
vIndication of the party, the republi-
can Congress and the administration
This accounts for the fact that there
has been more discussion in the re-
| publican leadership lately of plans
and prospects for carrying the cleo
tlon than there has been OF announce
ment of his candidacy. 1t may be
stated that for many weeks past the
republican leadership has been max
ing quiet but very painstaking sur
| tVey of the state of public political
| sentiment in the country and have
! been reassured by the returns They
are not advancing d forlorn hope III
| taking the field at this early day fol
the presidential campaign of 1924, but
are going forward with d degree OF
confidence which is very marked il
view of the bitter criticism will
which the democrats have deluged the
republicans in the past year. The re-
ports of the republican scouts agree
| that if the criticism registered at the
time the effect is gradually wearing
\ off.
X x X
| What the republican managers ex-
pect. in their view into the future, is
that President Harding's and the
party's prestige will steadily grow as
the months advance. They think thai
when the laws passed by the Sixty
seventh Congress and the first ses-
| sion of the Sixty eighth Congress
which. will also be under republican
| organization, begin to operate anC
their beneficent effects become more
ievident popular favor will set in to.
ward the republicans. They are sure
President Harding will add in hi:
personal appearance before the voters
Ito the good impression he created il
the campaign of 1920 and as he re-
cites the record of the republican
party in fulfilling the promises made
in that campaign.
| X X +
| Here is a psychological considera-
tion which the republican managers
believe will operate to the advantage
of their party:
| Taking for granted that President
Y a II
there will be no factional split il
consequence. they point out that the
republican party has to all intent:
and purposes d candidate right now
/, for President. The candidate fol
| President of the democratic party
will not be known until some TIM
in June. 1924. There will be a mum
Der of candidates for the democratic
nomination prior thereto, but tn,
party'S candidate for election will no
be known until the convention ha!
named him.
Those aspirants for the democratI
nomination will have diverse per
!sonal views on party policies and tn
platform will not be written until
few months before the election. Tn,
form fof the 1924 campaign can b.
practically visuaiized now. as ther
is slight likelihood Of its varying il
radical degree from the one upol
which the republican party rode t
ivictory and into power in 1920.
| X X x
So, it is contended, the country a
this hour has a foundation of per
Iformance, past and prospective. o
1.-THE republican party upon which t
lbase Judgment; has before it a mai
innate as the almost certain candidat
of the republican party in 1924. Oh
1.-The other hand, the politicians say
1.-The democrats have only visions o
a possible candidate and a platform.
X X X X
The reaction Of the democratic man
lagement to the announcement o
president Harding's candidacy for re
nomination has been awaited wit
interest by the republican leaders. 1
was forthcoming promptly in a state
iment by Judge Cordell Hull, chair
Imam of the democratic national com
mittee, which was given as full pub
licity in the press, as the official pro
lnouncement of the democratic man
lagement warranted.
The republican management is ex
ipected to come back with a refuta
ton of the charges of Judge Hull
although it is realized that it will b
to some degree handicapped by tn
!fact that the national committee /
lnot supposed to be associated wit
lcandidacies except for election. Blu
1.-The national committee is within it
lrights in defending the course Of tn
lparty in Congress and of the "ad
ADMINISTRATION" right in the middle o
1.-THE party's present tenure Of Office
iauthority and legislative activity.
X X X X
AS the republican politicians ana
tot ~
national chairman the gravamen Q