Evening star., 1924-09-24
CONSTITUTION DUE
] TO Be MAIN ISSUE
g. O. P. Holds "Sanctity of
Supreme Court" Is Biggest
Principle at Stake.
HY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

secretary hughes Hd> ptth d.
signed the task OF stressing the
paramount issue before the coun-
Try, as the Republican party sees 1T.
That is tie issue raised by Senator
La Follette with regard TO the United
States Supreme Court. The project
10 clothe Congress with the power
TO overrid, decisions of the highest
tribunal il the land has been eIe-
waited by the G. Q. p. to the level OF
the one concrete, outstanding ques-
tion in the presidential campaign.
Long ago Republican best minds"
like Nicholas Murray Butler, presI-
cent OF Columbia University, recon-
rtended that the "sanctity of the Su-
Treme Court" be seized upon as an
issue on which the party confidently
'ould appeal to the country. Recent
events, especially the third party
:yement and La Follette's attack
90 the Supreme Court, have convinced
the q. Q. p. high command that Or.
Eutler's Vision" was justified
Held Sole Big Issue.
Much, therefore, from now on. will
h heard of the Constitutional issue
whenever the big guns of the Re
publican army bark. President Cool
id-c at Baltimore early in Septem-
ber dwelt emphaticaily on it. Sec
retary Hughes opening campaign
speech at Marion. Ohio, September
- is sure to tackle the La Toilette
proposition in hammer -and-tongS
fashion. 3Ir. Hughes, in fact. repre-
Ssnts that school of Republican
thought that believes there is no
other firSt-claSS issue before the
people Those Republicans contend
that Mr.. Davis has made no subStan-
Iial headway with either the tarlr
or the corruption issue.
They claim that the tariff iS
double edged weapon which the Dem
orratic candidate cannot WELD very
vigorously without alternating both
the farmers and the labor element.
Agricultural! produce, like wheat and
rorn, is said by the Republicans to
be commanding good prices mainly
because the farmer is protected from
ruinouS foreign competition The
tariff, too. is adduced by Republicans
az the shield behind which the Amer
lean workinGman is able to COM
mand his present high wages and
maintain his incompatible standard Of
living.
Say Coolidge Is Cntouched.
AS to corruption. the Republican
retort 70 Democratic charges is that
just because Albert B. Fall tumbled
from grace while r member Of the
cabinet there is no justification for
cdness against his party or against
the administration. G. 0. p. chief
tans seem certain that Mr.. Davis will
vail utterly to hold President Cool
jdge to any accountability for the
Inisdeeds in executive departments.
like the Interior Department and the
Veterans Bureau. that may have .oc-
curred prior to his occupancy of the
White House.
There is probably little cunning
strategy in the Republican plan to
eliminate the Davis issues of the
tariff and corruption and concentrate
on the La Toilette "constitutionar
issue. Those tactics carry out the
idea fathered by Chairman Rutlar
that the real fight" is between Cool
idge and La Toilette. ii serves the
purpose of relegating Davis to third
place in Republican. calculations. The
net effect is to belittle his candidacy
The Democratic management is, of
course, cognizant of these maneuvers
in the enemy camp and is preparing
10 countcraCt them.
MudsiiuginG in Sight.
To that end October will witness a
barrage from the Democratic side
which is planned to be as concen-
trated and devastating fire as ever
was dropped into opposition lines in
a presidential campaign. Virtually
Vithout exception every cannon in
The Democratic artillery will take
part in tho broadSide. All of Davis
convention opponents will be in ac-
tion McAdoo, Smith, Underwood
Ealston, Glass Ritchie. Silzer and
dozen Dem uocratic governors. Unietd
states Senators of national renown,
like Robinson, Harrison, Owen. Pitt
man and Ferris, will be in oratoricaI
service. Nearly the entire Wilson
cabinet-Baker, Daniels, Colby, Lam
sing, RedfieId. Houston, Palmer and
utherS-is listed in Senator Claude A
Swanson's aggregation of all-star
speaking talent.
With John w. Davis himself taking
the lead, the program of Democratic
campaigners during the whirlwind
weeks of the campaign will be to