Evening star., 1923-06-18
WILSON SUPPORTS
WORLD COURT PLAN
Urges Senate Followers Vote
for U. S. Entry; Silent on
1924 Nominee.
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.


Woodrow Wilson is advising demo-
cratic senator's who seek his counsel, to
support President Harding's proposal
for American adhesion to the world
court. The announcement, which this
writer can make on the highest au-
thority, is of special significance in view
of the report that twenty eight repub-
licans have now pledged themselves to
support Senator Lodges strong reser-
vations to the Harding Hughes proposal.
Mr.. Wilson, as his letter to Representa-
tive Rouse OF Kentucky, stated, would
prefer unconditional American entry
into the world court. But he is telling
his democratic friends that the terms
on which President Harding would enter
are better than no entry at all. If they
follow Mr. Wilson's counsel. democratic
senator's will vote for the Harding
Hughes program. With the republicans
who are ready to do SO its passage
should be assured, in the form the ad-
Ininstration desires. despite opposition
of the Lodge battalion of reservation
lists. IL the President decides to make
fight for the original Hughes project,
unmodified.
AS 1924 approaches and the country
is canvassing the men and measures
that will be conspicuous in the next
campaign, Woodrow Wilson's interest
in them grows. Those more intimate
political friends who see him nova
days find him taking no assertive po-
sitlon, nor COMFORTING himself as if
he still were the leader of the demo-
cratic party. If he were not physical
ly incapacitated, many democrats say
he would have no serious competitor
for that title. He remains, despite his
disability, the party's unrivaled best
mind
Influence to Be Felt.
His influence at the democratic ma
tional convention will not be para.
mount, but, as one national leader
puts it, will be ample enough to "hurl
forked lightning all through the
convention whenever he wants to. 1t
is estimated that at least one-third
of the convention will consist of
Woodrow Wilson's friends, ready at
all times to veto the ambitions of
men or the adoption of measures that
run violently counter to Wilson poll
cies.'
The sage of street emphasizes to
all his callers that as far as 1924 is
concerned he is vastly more inter-
There is no ''Wilson candidate" for
the presidential nomination. If he
has preference, he refrains from
voicing it. Probably Oscar w. I'm
derWood is not one of S streets fa-
vorite sons. In Mr.. Wilson's estima-
tion, the Alabama senator is too much
OF conservative to meet the needs
OF these progressive times 1t is an
open secret that the former President
did not like Underwoods activities
y ~ q - RI tV1tr n
mist during the four-power treaty
tight in the Senate, following the
Washington conference. Senator Joe"
Robinson's vigorous leadership of the
democratic minority on that occasion
had Mr.. Wilson's hearty approval and
strengthened the latter's belief that
the hard-hitting Arkansan was the
logical successor of Underwood as
captain of the democratic senatorial
forces.
Not "BOoming. McAdoo.
William G. McAdoo will never be
obviously doomed by his distin-
guished father-in-law for presidential
honors. But, on the other hand, there
is no likelihood the Wilson influence
would ever be invoked against a Nc
Adoo candidacy. AS in other cases,
1t would be what McAdoo stands for,
as policies. that mainly would count.
II they were as literally progressive
in respect of both national and inter-
national affairs as Woodrow Wilson
thinks the democratic platform must
be, he would offer no hostility to his
son-in-laws aspirations.
Ihe former President thinks we'll
OF James M. Cox. He often takes oc-
casion to say so and to speak of the
courageous fight Cox made in 1920
for the league Of nations. That lost
contest Woodrow Wilson still looks
upon as merely one unsuccessful bat
tie In war which is going on-as
a temporary reverse, without de-
cislve influence on the final result.
II Cox should be renominated he
would undoubtedly command Wood
row Wilson's hearty support
In 1913 1t was at President Wilson's
request that Henry Ford entered the
Michigan senatorial race as demo-
cratic opponent of Truman H New
berry. Mr.. Wilson, like the rest of
the country, is not unmindful of the
Ford rd-for-President" talk But, de-
spite his admiration for Ford's busi-
ness career and acknowledgement of
on \