Evening star., 1924-01-21
M'ADOO OPPOSITION
TURNING TO DAVIS
West Virginian Believed Loqi-
cal Candidate to Break
TWo-Thirds Deadlock.
HY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

John w. Davis OF New York and
West Virginia has been picked by
the combined "McAdoo opposition" to
capture the democratic presidential
nomination. That Is understood to
be the outstanding result OF last
weeks gathering OF leaders in Wash
ington. No formal or binding de-
cisions We're taken. The McAdoo
camp. indeed, is persuaded that no
hard-and-fast compact exists to
thwart the Californian.
Hts supporters are certain that the
alleged triple alliance of "bosses''-
Murphy. Brennan and Taggart-said
to have been formed at French Lick
IN November to stop McAdoo," is a
fiction. Yet Mr.. McAdoo's friends
have come to the conclusion, that the
oppositions plan is eventually to con-
centrate on one man. Several men,
mostly OF the favorfte-son brand. will
be supported In early ballots. Senator
Underwood Is included In this COM
bfnation. But when it is clearly
demonstrated that neither McAdoo
I,sI nor e favorite son can take the two
put out in front and urged as the
logical deadlock breaker.
Davis Men at Work. -
While democratic chieftains were
in Washington Davis managers put
their slogan in circulation-"Davis
the logical democrat" They also
were busily engaged in dynan1lting
the commonest accusations levelei
at Davis candidacy-first, that he
is "Morgan's attorney" and, secondly.
that he was too pro-British" while
ambassador TO England. From GER
tain powerful democrats the Davis
leaders received some gratifying as
surances. One famous boss, who
would ordinarily waste no affection
upon man who was ever guilty of
old stuff. 1t became old stuff the day
the British created, the Irish Free
State"
Record as Lawyer.
Other leaders declared that Davis
wall street connections" would not
seriously operate against his avail
ability. measured against his real
qualities as a candidate. One Of them
put it this way: What American
lawyer of parts isn't a corporation
lawyer. or trying to be? Charles
Evans Hughes was on the Supreme
Court bench when the republicans
nominated him in 1916, yet he had
been a corporation lawyer up to 1910.
When he was defeated for the pres
idency Hughes went straight back
to corporation law, and from corpo-
ration law he went to the Secretary
ship of state"
Many fear Davis is fatally CON
servative," and would not offer suf-
ficiently sharp contrast to Mr.. Cool
idge. Davis, these skeptics point out.
would have to be manufactured into
% progressive. Davis qualities are
uncommonly fine presence, youth Che
will be fifty-one in ApriD, eloquence,
deep learn edness in the law, political
sanity, and "soundness" on most out
standing public issues.
Some such tense situation as this
is anticipated at New York in June.
A hopeless deadlock; McAdoo we'll in
the lead with a clear majority; two
ffths Of the convention distributed
among three. four or half a dozen
candidates: Underwood, Ralston and
"Al" Smith, with patches of ap-
parently impregnable support. Then
the time will arrive for the logical
candidate" Unless certain extremely
we'll Informed democrats were misled
in Washington last week, his name
will turn out to be John w. Davis.
Copyright, 1924