The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1923-11-27
S
Talk to Be
Battle Cry
Barkers Mark Time for Bark
of Defense Gun in Tus.
sic With Hiram John
Scott at League Issue
BY MARK SULLIVAN

" dSflillS iOf, 4NOA. llC Ii'ii
who are going to try to nominate
Coolidge for the presidency will spend
the present week marking time.
They are deliberately stalking every
thing on Cooidge's address to con-
gress at its meeting early next week.
They say that no effective steps to
dominate Coolidge can be taken until
after that speech has been delivered
and the public has had a chance to
digest It, Their theory is that the
country does not know Coolidge yet,
but will know him after Tuesday of
next week.
They say that no picture of Coolidge
Is complete or adequate unless it in
cludes knowledge OF his attitude on
the questions before the country, and
they assert that Coolidge will make
a clear and unequiyocal statement of
his attitude on every one of these
questions. With this picture of
Coolidge and his beliefs before the
public. the group of friends who are
interesting themselves on his behalf
will begin vigorous work Immediately.
They base their faith not SO much
VII ihc iiONOoSdAy PcPHiaAiI5 -
Coolidges position on all the ques-
tions, as on the candor and courage
with which he will state his position.
They expect the speech to avoid argu-
ing In behalf of the positions he takes,
but to confine themselves to stating In
each case what the position is. Beyond
case what that position is. Beyond
this, the only point of which public
surmise has been made about the con-
tents of the speech is Secretary Mel.
Ions tax reduction plan.
Favors Tax Plan
This, II is asserted confidently, will
be approved by Coolidge. Except for
this one point, Coolidge's friends are
quite willing that the coming week
shall be one of suspense and expecta-
ton because they hope this will bring
about tbs maximum degree efs inter
est in the speech.
- Moreover, they are not unaware
that the managers of Johnson's cam
pagn have tried to gain a strategic
point by booking Johnson for his
first keynote speech during the pres
ent week, some six days before
Coolidge makes his. They are aware
Of the attempt to gain strategic ad-
vantage in this: but are willing TO
let Johnson have the audience this
week and wait until next week for
coolidge's hearing.
Up TO date the republican fight is
clearly staged as tug-of-war between
these two men, There are increasing
signs that the fight may go through
to the end with these two candidates
the only entrants on nationwide
scale. There will be other favorite
son candidates in single states; bur
the probability of anybody else max
ing a countrywide fight in all the d.
rect primary states has diminished
lately
PincIOt Forces Unorganized.
The present writer in previous dis
patches has said that Governor Clifford
Pinchot would be a contender on the
same scale as Coolidge and Johnson.
That may still happen, but the fact is
that no political organization In be-
half Of Pinchot has as yet been done
outside his own state. While there is
organiza tion. There is no one who
has toward Pinchot the relation of
formal organizer and energetic hacker
which Albert Lasker and William
Wrigley have toward Johnson. IL
Pinchot had the equivalent of these
two men, or II such organizers should
Aame forward on behalf of Pinchot,
the latter would cut fully as large a
figure as Johnson.
Possibly the answer as to whether
Pinchot is to be put forward on
countrywide scale may develop the
latter part of this week. Some OF Pin
chot's Washington friends expect him
TO come here about the first of Decem-
ber When he does come he will be
subjected to very strong pressure TO
let his friends begin to organize for
him
Some Of this pressure will come
from men who four years ago favored
Johnson, but now prefer Pnchot II
Pinchot declines to go into the fight In
all the direct primary states, that fact
will favor Johnson. 1t is the greatest
desire OF Johnson's hackers to confine
Inc IlRHl lo II t'Sl VI stitiibti D'iNS'i
himself and Coolidge. uncomplieated
by other candidates.
Time Against johnson.
All that is said here refers to candi-
dates on a countrywide basis. There
will be many other candidates In
single states: and the final outcome In
the convention as between Johnson
and Coolidge may be decided by the
second choice votes Of the 'fayorite
son" delegations.
The time Is, of course. too short for
Johnson TO show what he can do.
But the judgment of the most ex-
perienved observers is that Johnson's
initial momentum has not carried him
very far. 1t is predicted with the
greatest confidence that Johnson can
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