The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-18
T0' LAY UP PLENTY IF.
 MISE ERY F0R t. O.P..
Plans Set That May Even
 Cause Harding to Side step Nomination

WASHINGTON, March r. = Pro- gressive republicans arc stirring up a political revival which promises to ident Harding on his western tour next summer. When Harding sets out on this swing to tell the west what he has done during his first two years in the White House, he is likely to be faced with the same sort Of questions which were showered on Taft as the 1912 campaign warmed up.
 Progressives hope to unseat Hard ing as the party leader and give their own complexion to the organization. They have already begun to plant the seed. Senator Hiram Johnson, before sailing for Europe a few days ago, made a speech at New York in which he practically dared Harding tC' nfak e an issue of the world court plan. He expects to be back in few weeks loaded with ammunition and firm intention to use it prodigally. Borah. the other major thorn in the side. of the administration, is expected to touch off a stick G1 dynamite at a progressive republican rally in Ak ron, Ohio, next Wednesday, LaFol- lette has grafted a monkey gland on the old time trust issue with his
 
 monopoly by the Standard Oil com panies. Brookhart is out in the mid dle west telling the Iowa farmers a few things about the railroad situa- ton.
 Other Storms Brewing.
 Senator-elect Wheeler, of Montana, and several other progressives who will be in the next Senate are pack ing their trunks for a trip to Russia They may be expected to bring back a few pointed questions for the Pres to answer regarding refusal to rec ognize the soviets. Progressives in the next House of Representatives claim to have 60 members pledged to assault the caucus machinery which has ruled the House with grip as firm as in the days of Cannonism.
 In all. the next two years promise to be full of woe for man of Hard ing's amiable disposition. Gossip here is irrepressible on the subject of his renomination. Some, remarking on Harding's distaste of controversy and rough and tumble fighting, be- lieve he will retire to private life paign as Taft did, especially if his trusted mentor. Attorney General Daugherty, continues to be in such poor health that he cannot act as field marshal again. Others point to Postmaster General Harry s. New, another old political friend. and in sist that even though Daugherty has to give up his political activity, New will be on hand to assure majority in the nominating convention for the administration.
 Organization sfeadfast.
 As Gften pointed out in these dis patches, the progressive republicans are going into the western primary states to get delegates. They hope to show by these preliminary pollings that Harding is so unpopular that he could not possibly be reelected and that the only hope of the republicans lies in nominating progressive. But 1912 form. no amount of popular sen- timent will be able to budge the or ganization men who will compose the ma jority of the delegates.
 At this time. the general opinion among political observers here is that Harding can have the republican nomination if he wants to go through a bitter personal fight to get it.. How much nomination would be worth after such a fight is question on which opinion is not so unani- nous.
 Progressives believe that for the first time since the European war began attention is being centered On domestic problems which were upper most in the period preceding 1912. They believe that the country is once more eager to deal with the ques- tions arising out of the growth of modern industry and it's relation to the government
 They are. however, still groping for an issue that will touch the spark as the trust issue did in Roosevelts s time But thus far they have found nothing with the fresh appeal that is necessary to vitalize their campaign. There are a host of subordinate issues but the one thing needed. so the pro which will arouse fighting enthus- iasm. The possibilities of Armaged- don have been exhausted and new hattie ground must be found.