Evening star., 1924-01-14
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Democratic national leaders are as
sembled at Washington in an atmos-
phere OF militant hope. They be-
lieve the tide has turned and Is sweep
ing their party toward victory. They
met their Marne' on the taxation
issue. Two weeks ago democrats
feared that the Mellon program, with
Its instantaneous and countrywide
popularity. had pretty well smashed
all prospects OF a democratic triumph
In 1924. Today the same leaders are
convinced they have outflanked the
administration, wrecked its tax plan
by presenting what they claim is a
better one, and converted into deadly
ammunition against the republicans
the very issue on which the G. o. r.
had seemed to be invincible. 1t is in
that spirit of optimism that the DEM
ocratic national committee is meet
ing. 40 outline the 1924 presidential
campaign. For the moment, rejoic-
ings over the general situation tran
scend in interest the question of can
didates. Eventually the competition
for the presidential nomination Will
correspondingly wax in intensity.
Democratic scouts bring in reports
that the White House Is In state
of alarm over the suddenly trans
ner program with it's undisguised bid
for popularity through schedules radt-
cally more liberal to small income
taxpayers and rougher on surtax
payers than Secretary Mellon pro-
posed, has plainly upset the admin
istration's calculations.
See Coolidge in Trap.
There are now republican leaders
who see salvation only in an iInmedi-
ate alliance between administration
supporters and conservative demo-
Gratis. Conceiving distinct political
advantage in the situation democratic
managers are In little mood thus to
rescue the republicans. The demo-
Gratis expressed purpose is rather to
enforce the passage of their own
the Garner-tax program, with the
aid Of western republican progressive
and insurgent votes, and dare Cool
idge to veto it." They see the Pres
ident doomed II he does, and doomed
II he doesn't. If he vetoes he vetoes
a sweeping tax-reduction bill, DELHI
erately conceived In the interest of
the masses. If he does not veto, he
accepts a democratic measure, de-
prtves his own party of any credit
LOT tue Doom, anu ndnOS tne oemO-
Gratis the presidency in 1924 on a
golden platter. These at any rate
are the rose-tinted skies beneath
which the democratic national COM
mtttee has come together.
It is because the democrats thus
the contest for places on their ma
tional ticket opens amid unwonted
rivalry. Washington IL thick with
In the flesh. candidates by
proxy. candidates by manager and
is on the spot Mr.. Nc
Adoo is represented by Daniel c.
Roper and regiment Of other able
seamen. Senator Ralston is hero.
Edwin T: Meredith of Iowa is among
Glass is within call on Capitol Hill.
John W. Davis of West Virginia has
an eloquent delegation Of boosters
ready to sound his praises. William
charen ss To- keeY
the family on the map. Judge Thomp-
son Of Illinois, the democratic boy
wonder of the west. will be heard
from. Homer Cummings Of Connec-
@ dark horse e full AShHu Of possibiiities Sdbs t.
in the foreground. George
playing Pythias to James NJ
cox's Damon, has arrived. Senator
Robinson of Arkansas. democratic
l6aQeT III Cle SGudI0, TlSeCS the atLen-
ton of many partisans when the talk
is of available compromise timber.
Gov. "A1" Smiths cohorts are numer-
ous and active, observing. with an
admittedly big 'if," that CAP would
be invincible II, only he could be
David F. Houston is
being quietly but forcefully adver-
tised as the best democrat available
10 carry the country on the para
mount tax issue. Senator Copeland
Is in town and in receptive mood.
Cour.e Depends Upon G. o. r.
Democratic giants Of 'fboss" stature
like George Brennan Of Illinois
will tell you that trying to pick the
democratic nominee at this hour is
like shooting at the moon. They say
It's the republicans who'll really de-
eide the identity of the democratic
candidate. BY that they mean that
the democratic action to an enormous
extent will be dictated by what tho
republicans do. II the latter nomi-
nate an eastern conservative" like
Coolidge, the democrats admit they'll
have to wage their tight In the west
and south with, progressive like
McAdoo. Conversely, II the g. o. p.
puts up western progressive" like
Johnson, the democrats will do battle
in the east and south, with q
conservative like Underwood a. their
AS Calvin Coolidge
seems at this hour a certain victor for
the republican nomination, many