Evening star., 1924-02-10
DEATH OF: WILSON
OPENS RACE WIDE
Political Effect of His Pass.
ing Lost in Sensations
of Oil Inquiry.
BY ROBERT T. SMALL.

Ever since the death of Woodrow
Wilson there has been widespread
discussion as to the effect of his pass
ing upon the fortunes of the demo-
Dental campaign.
1t seems agreed now that, in as
much as Mr.. Wilson did not attempt
! to dictate the choice of HIS party in
1920 he would not have tried to do so
this, year.
Mr.. Wilson in 1920, however, did to
Ia very large degree influence the
platform declarations of the democ
racy, especially In regard to foreign
affairs and allegiance to the league
of nations idea.
There is every reason to believe
that had he lived until the New York
convention in late June he would
have sought to align the party once
more under the banner Of the inter-
national league and would not have
been content with a mere Endorsement
Iby the democracy of a world court
scheme such as was brought forward
ny PRESIDENT Harding and Secretary
Hughes and readyocated by President
Coolidge.
Political Effect Minimized.
unquestionably, the political effect
lof Mr.. Wilson's death was minimized
by the terrific upheaval attending the
its many unexpected ramificatiOns.
Veritable landslides within the Sem
ate committee rooms were carrying
political sentiment first one way and
then the other, so there was not the
political shock in the ex-President's
death that might otherwise have been
the case.
longer is the threat of public de-
nunciation from the silent home on
Vc n
democratio politicians. both of low
and high degree, always feared to
incur the disfavor of Mr.. Wilson, for
they knew the keenness of his pen
and tongue and had discovered that.
no matter how serious his illness had
been. his public statements. regard
less of their brevity. lacked abso-.
lutely nothiig in virility.
There is certain, therefore, to be
a more open debate of the policy Of
the party in international affairs at
the New York convention than was
at all possible in 1920. The elements
In the party opposed to the league
of nationS-and these include many
way from Senator Jim Reed of Mis-
souri,. candidate for the party nomi-
nation. to William Jennings Bryan of
Florida, who hopes to get to the con-
vention as delegate, but is by no
means certain Of doing so-are pre-
pairing to wage a battle to drop the
league of nations fight and to con-
centrate the strength of the party
upon domestic issues.
Has Many Followers
There are plenty of elements. how
ever. who will demand that the party
stand by Woodrow Wilson and his
policies The platform cannot ignore
some expression as to his death, just
as the republican platform probably
will open with a tribute to Warren
6. Harding. 1t is but natural, there
fore. that the friends of Mr.. Wilson
shall urge that there be ringing
Endorsement of all that he stood for.
Former Gov. James NJ. Cox of Ohio
is one of those who must be reckon
ed with in the convention pla tform
program. Mr.. Cox Of late has not
been dwelling with any particular
emphasis upon the league of nations,
but has repeatedly called for def
mite foreign program based upon in
telligent and helpful cooperation.
William Gibbs McAdoo, on the
other hand. has been very lukewarm
of late to some of the Wilson policies,
and if his influence in the convention
has not been dimmed to the extent
that many believe, he will gladly
abandon the league to it's fate Mr..
McAdoo may have suffered irrepar-
able damage, so far as his political