Atlanta tri-weekly journal., 1924-07-19
DEMOCRATIC CHIEFS
FAIL To GET EXCITED
|. OVER WHEELER BOLT
Montana SoIon Was Always
Much Like la Toilette,
They Declare
BY ROBERT r. SMALL
Especial Leased Wire to The Journal.)
(Couyripht 1924


copyright, 1924.)
NEW YORK, July 17.-National
Democratic leaders here, including
John w. Davis, the presidential
nominee, were neither alarmed nor
disturbed by the announcement to-
day that Senator Burton K. Wheeler,
of Montana, had "bolted" the Demo
cratic ticket, and would henceforth
walk under the banner of Senator
La Toilette on all national issues.
Leaders say it was a perfectly natu-
raj thing for Senator Wheeler to
do, for his mind has run along with
La Follette's ever since he entered
public life, and his being carried on
the records as a Democrat was just
about the same as La FoRette being
recorded as a Republican.
Republican leaders, including Ma
'tional Chairman Butler, were in
clined to be a bit jubilant over the
Wheeler announcement and con-
tended it had a distinct bearing on
their previous statements, that La
Toilette would cut as heavily into
the Democratic ranks as he would in
the G. o. p. This, of course, the
Democrats deny, and they say that
when the so-called Progressive Re-
publicans" in the senate begin to
quit the regular Republican ticket
and begin to cast their lots with
ciY o10 of
from the Democratic ranks in the
upper chamber will be all but for
gotten.
Senators BrOOkhart of Iowa; Nor
ris, of Nebraska; Ladd and Frazier,
of North Dakota, are among those
the Democrats expect to declare for
La Toilette before the campaign
grows much older. The Republicans
say that Senator Dill, of Washing
ton, a progressive Democrat, will
also go over to La Toilette.
Try Red Paint
This taunting back and forth be-
tween the leaders of the two old
parties is likely to go on for some
time, but as a matter of fact they
say the La Toilette forces are devel-
oping exactly along the lines expect
ed. He had gained no unexpected
strength from any quarter, but on
the other hand, has been handicap
ped quite bit by the enthusiasm
with which he has been taken up
by the Socialists. The unqualified
Endorsement of La Toilette by Eu-
gene V. Debs was viewed with evil
dent satisfaction in both Democratic
and Republican camps. The red
der" the old party leaders can paint
the La Toilette movement the better
they will like it.
They will attempt to show it is
merely a rallying place for all the
discontented elements in American
life; the abiding place of the "unde-
sirables," and in this way they hope
to hold to Republicanism and Democ-
racy the progressives who are not
willing to associate with the radi-
calls.
One Democratic spokesman de-
clared today the national organiza-
ton was glad to be relieved of the |
responsibility of having to defend |
Senator Wheeler's conduct of the
Daugherty investigation before the /
Brookhart committee of the senate. /
Chief Aid was Means
That investigation was conducted
along far different lines from the |
oil inquiry in the hands of Senator |
walsh, OF Montana. Senator Wheel |
er permitted any and every sort of |
testimony to be brought in, regard |
less of whom it concerned. His I
chief dependence in the inquiry was |
the notorious CASTOR B. Means, in |
ternational spy and investigator. !
who boasted that although he had |
been accused of every crime in the |
calendar, he had never been con- |
Vlcted. That proud record now has |
been broken, however, for since the !
senate adjourned Means has been
and sentenced to two years in the |
Atlanta penitentiary. He is out on |
bond pending an appeal.
The Democrats feel now that the |
Wheeler activities which went with
Out the scope of the original inquiry |
can be laid at the door of La Fol |
lette Influence.
Meantime it is apparent that the !
leaders of all three parties at pres |
ent in the field are looking to the |
east as a greater battle-ground than |
anyone could have expected two
weeks ago.
Ihe Coolidge organization frankly .
expected the Democrats TO nominate /
some enc who would have made the |
east soidly Republican and would /
have permitted them to give their /
attention to the central /
stretches of the country and the /
far west. The Republicans had eX-
pected to maintain a branch" head /
quarters here in New York with
i,,
Republicans Come to Life
With the nomination Of Mr.. Davis, |
however. plans suddenly were /
changed. The Republicans already !
have leased two floors of the build /
ing at No. West Forty sixth street /
and are likely to take more space
as the campaign progresses. 1t still
is proposed to have great head ,
quarters" in Chicago, but the estab- /
lishment IN New York will be al
most equally prett ntious and Chair
man Butler expects TO spend A
large part of his time here.
The Democrats are certain to
have their headquarters in the east
and feel that their success will lie
in capturing some Of the eastern
states with large electoral votes to
add TO the eSolid South" They are
hopeful at the same time that Sen !
ator La Toilette may cut so deeply
into Republican ranks in the west /
as to give the Democrats a fighting
chance in states normally Republic |
an. In any event, the west is re-
garded as fighting place for the .
Republicans and the radicals, the q,
Democrats being perfectly willing
n nr 10 ,f hot