Evening star., 1924-05-21
Politics at Large
BY N. o. MESSENGER

Politicians in both parties are dis
| cussing the probable effect upon
| President CooEdge's political fortunes
| next November of the desertion of
him by a section of his party in Con-
gress on the bonus veto. The ma
| jority opinion seems to be that the
votes he may lose from having vetoed
the bill in the first instance will be
counterbalanced many times over by
the support he will get from people
who were opposed to the bonus on
the economic grounds set forth by
the President and the Secretary of
the Treasury.
Any one can Judge for himself
whether this is safe assumption by
what he hears his neighbors say upon
the subject and the comment Of the
man in the street"
Aside from this is also the question
Of the eject Of the rejection of his
leadership by the republican senators
and representatives who registered
their difference with him on the
bonus bill. Possibly of more impor-
tance Is the effect upon the political
fortunes of those senators and rep
resentatives themselves who went
against him as the sentiment of the
country crystalliZes on their action.
Many predictions are heard that the
President will be applauded for his
courage and criticism will fall upon
the individual statesmen for their
course, which will be impugned in
many cases as having been mis-
taken policy adopted for purely p"-
litical reasons.
The suggestion is made that the
temper Of the majority sentiment Of
the republicans of the country on the
bonus was shown in the practically
unanimous demand for the nomina-
tion of President Coolidge. His posi-
tion on the bonus was made clear in
his message to Congress, in which he
declared that he was against grant
ing d bonus That was said before
the campaign for delegates was under
way. 1t was fat-footed stand on
the issue.
His only opponent. Senator Johnson,
took the other end Of the proposition,
declaring in favor Of the bonus.
Every one knows the result The
President swept the country, save for
South Dakota and three or four scat
etring delegates. Was there no sig
nificance in that?
X
Senator Hiram W. Johnson's action
in releasing the delegates instructed
for him in the republican national
convention is construed by the poll
ticians as indica ting that he is not
intent upon making further trouble
for the party in the campaign for
the election. They do not see any
dramatic bolt from the party by SEN
atOr Johnson, although they admit
the doubt of his coming actively to
the support OF the national ticket in
view OF the things he has said about
President Coolidge and the dominant
organization Of the party in his los
ing campaign for the nomination.
They say that if Senator Johnson
continues in public life he would
make a killing" for himself by tax
ing his medicine" like good sports
some of his friends are of opinion
that he is tired OF politics and will
gradually withdraw from activity.
The Democratic viewpoint of the
effect of President Coolidges vetoes,
past and prospective. is that they
will result. in SO far as they are
effective, in further spelling the
showing made by the Republican
Congress during its session OF nearly
SIX months. This is stated as the
opinion of neutral bystanders in
Washington" although il is sent out
with the caption of the Democratic
national committee and signed by the
chief of the national committees
publicity director, so its neutrality"
can be taken with grain of salt.
Besides that" the Democratic ma
uonal committees statement goes on
n DrAc lnr,
bills which Congress has enacted
after months of work and worry will
emphasize and extend the cleavage
between the Republican executive
and the Republican Legislative branch
of the administration. The vote
recorded on the Presidents veto of
the pension bill and his disapproval
of the soldier bonus merely reveals
TO the country that Il majority of
Republican senators and representa-
tives are in sharp disagreement with
him and unwilling TO accept his
guidance in respect either to econ
omic or political questions.
Then the Democratic national COM
mittee statement, with JUNCTION, makes
this prediction:
This divergence between the Re-
publican Congress and the Republi-
can President will become even more
obvious and significant when the
campaign to exalt him above his
party and his official associates shall
have progressed little further. If
the PRESIDENT is convinced that he
can assure his election only by r..
pudiating his party and his Congress-
a great many Republicans in the
House and Senate are equally con-
sclous that they can win only by dis
avowing him.
When both the President and these
TO their CONNECTIONS there will be
little OF coordination or cohesiyeness
in the forthcoming campaign"
= !: *
The main topic of interest in
Democratic circles is the rapid gains
William G. McAdoo seems to be MAX
ing IN his campaign for the presi-
Dental nomination and the increased
activity in the combinations which
are trying to stop him. 1t is con-
ceded that he has been evidencine
growing strength in the past few
weeks and this is confirmed by the
vigor with which his rivals are be-
stirring themselves.
The hope of the opposing aspirants
Tor the nomination and OF that eIe-
ment in the party which is irrecou-
cllably determined TO keen Mr.
McAdoo from getting the nomination,
although not decided upon who shall
nave 1t, is in the possibility of elimi-
mating Mr.. McAdoo in the early bal
! loting. This hope is somewhat ciouded
by the fact that Mr.. McAdoo is con-
ceded to possess at this time the