San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-03-23

-Ailh
mand not only the delegates from Wis
consin. but possibly some of the othel
! Western states.
Some strategiStS do not think il {
| bad idea for Senator Borah to be on
campaigning at this time because the
more men of his type who strike out
/ for individual prestige with the So
I called progressive elements in the Re.
publican party. the less likelihood OF
formidable opposition to Mr.. Harding
being built M by concentration on any
one progressive.
And when the convention has made
its nomination. Mr.. Borah's support
will be all the more valuable. He
threatened to bolt the party in 1916
and sEain in 1920, but he stayed regu-
lar in both campaigns.
Should he endorse Mr.. Harding aft
er the convention has been held, he
viii tend to keep the Republican can
didate mindful of the progressive
forces in the party.
There Is little doubt. even at this
early stage Of the game. that the 1924
campaign will involve to no small ex-
tent the use once more of the terms
progressive and conservative" or
"Standpatter." Mr.. Harding has al
ways been allied with the latter wing
of the Republican party. but it is no
ticeable that when Attorney General
Daugherty and others in the Harding
encourage talk about progressive
government they do not exclude the
acts or purposes of the Harding adj
miniStration and tend rather to con-
strue the term progressive" as mean-
ing government of righteousness and
impartiality as between classes and in
terests.
No Important PIanks.
There Is hardly a plank of import
ance. for instance. in the farm pro-
gram OF the national progressive con-
ference. called by the friends of Sena-
tor LaFollette in Washington imme-
diately after the congressional cleo
tons last fall which has not met with
the approval of the Harding admins
tratiOn.
If the fight between progressive"
and "standpattS," is to be staged on
the agricultural voting areas of the
West, the Harding administration
stands ready to defend what it has
done for the farmer through the War
Finance Corporation and the new in
termediate farm credit system of bank
ing.
What Senator Borah. however. is
more likely 10 do to make things I'M
comfortable between now and the next
convention. is to stress the Importance
Of some step on the part Of the Ameri-
can government to assist in the world
wide economic situation. He has been
clamoring for an international eco
monte conference on the ground that
farmers would get higher prices for
their products when the purchasing
power of Europe was increased and he
has insisted that the moral influence
of the United States could accom-
pliSh great deal toward stabilizing
European conditions.
President Harding and Secretary
Hughes have said the time was not
ripe for such action and would not be
until the Ruhr situation was cleared
up. Mr.. Borah's cry for action never
theless will be taken up by the Demo
Gratis, some of whose spokesman. like
James VI. Cox, and William Jennings
Bryan. have already cut loose from
definite formulas and expressed a plea
in general terms for the greater use of
American influence in world affairs.
Remembers Bitter Feeling.
Mr.. Harding has not forgotten the
bitter feeling inside the Republican
party over the League of Nations con-
troversy and is not anxious to stir up
those who feel as do Senator Hiram
Johnson of California. The latter is
fully expected to support Mr.. Harding
for denomination unless between now
and the convention some move is made
by the President which the California
senator can plainly say is inconsistent
with the pledges given in 1920 con-
corning non-entanglement in European
politics.
Senator Borah and Senator Johnson
have split on this issue. the latter in
sisting that a world economic confer
pnce is nothing more or less than a
League Of Nations type of affairs.
The California senator. while view
ing the world court proposal as harm
less IN itself. has announced his oppo-
sition 10 American membership. simply
because the court was created by the
League of Nations.
As the situation develops. tho prob
lem Of President Harding in choosing
which of the ,o-called progrcssives he
will side with on international affairs.
Senator Borah or Senator Johnson
viii become more and more difficult.
but tine President knows a good many
things can happen in Eur0ne between
row and June. 1924. which can take
the decision out Of the realm of Ameri-
can choice and make necessary an I'M
disputed co':r-a 90 "rt'on.