Evening star., 1924-06-24
G. 0. P. MERCILESSLY
MAULED IN KEYNOTE
Harrison Surpasses Record for Bit
ter 1nvective-Fall Made
Butt of Satire.
PLEA FOR PARTY HARMONY
Memory of Wilson Invoked to Pla-
cate Embattled Candidates.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, NEW
YORK, June o4.-Pat Harrison, senior
senator from Mississippi, disciple of
Woodrow Wilson and the chief ha-
ranguer of the Democratic party in
the Senate, opened the presidential
campaign of 1924 today by proclaim
ing the issues upon which the candf-
dates nominated here and the Demo-
cratic brethren generally will seek
to turn the Republicans out of power.
No political speech in recent years
compares with it either in bitterness
of invective or penetrating satire; no
speech has ever been fashioned like
it unless it be the denunciation of
the Wilson administration made by
Senator Henry Cabot Lodge at Chi
cago in 1920 or a few weeks later
at Marion. Ohio.
Full of Partisan Fire.
What Repre- sentative Burton's key
note speech at Cleveland lacked in
partisan fire is supplied in great
lentless reply to the Republican plat
form of 1924. The keynote speech
here, however, is exactly what the
Democrats wanted For several days
copies of it have been in circulation,
and from every quarter have come ex-
pressions of deep satisfaction with
the document as almost platform
in itself.
If there has been doubt that the
Democratic party would go to the
country and point the finger of scorn
at Albert B. Fall, still free on his
ranch, that doubt has been removed.
If there has been anv doubt that the
Democrats would point accusingly to
the quick work of the Department of
Justice in indicting Senator Wheeler
of Montana while no effort was made
to indict Albert B. Fall, that doubt,
too, has been removed.
Gives Own Party Eulogy.
Corruption in the government under
| the Republican regime and a chal-
lenge to any one to point to single
case of corruption by any high Off
cial or member of Congress of Demo-
cratic affiliation may be said to be
the basis of Senator Harri sons whoie e
appeal Whatever Mr.. McAdoo did
in his relations of lawyer to client
happened after he left public Office.
The Mississippi senator takes credit
for the Democratic party for the eS-
posure of Albert B. Falls record as
Secretary Of the Interior and the
of the Navy and the Attorney Cen
eral. He asks the Republican party
to look up what it's fifty-one investi-
eating committees found in connec-
ton with the Democratic admlnlstra-
tion during the war. t
Apart from the Teapot Dome scan
dal, which is not to be allowed to
slumber, Senator Harrison reveals
the plan of the party leaders TO max 9
political capital out OF the Melon
President Coolidge for the Mellon
plan and utilize again the argument
that moro taxpayers are benented
under the Democratic plan, Iatnerea
by Senator Simmons of North Caro-
lima and Representative Garner OF
Texas. than would have been the case
had the Mellon plan been adopted.
Old-Fashioned Oraoory.
Mostly it was an old-fashioned po-
litical speech, with all sorts of dag
ger-throwing,. in the hope OF dlvldlns
the Republican party. Caustlc reler-
refused to ioin Coolidge as a running
mate and to the effort at Cleveland
to punish the friends of the soldier
bonus were not omitted by Senator
Harrison.
Candidates. have been for the mo-
ment forgotten Sensitive to the inner
currents Of the convention and the
menace Of possible friction because OF
the factionaI differences that have
arisen, Senator Harrison made a plea
for party harmony. His euiogy or
Woodrow Wilson was in itself an ap-
peal for reunion of all elements in
the party in a common cause.
at would seem now" he concluded,
I'VE can hear. the soft voice of sweet
rea soIia.bleness coming to US from
Monticello. the voice of Old Hickory
coming across the Blue Ridge from
the Hermitage, and from that historic
crypt at St Adams we hear the
mighty voice of Woodrow Wilson.
wistfully calling to us. TO you from
failing hands we throw the torch.
Hold 1t high! Hold it high! Garry on,
carry on; Keep the faith; keep the
faith" .''
Copyright, 1s24)