Evening star., 1924-05-21
LODGE COOLIDGE TILT
ROUSES BAY STAIERS
Failure to Back President on Bonus
Veto Angers Massachusetts,
Republicans.
BREAK BETWEEN TWO SEEN
Blow at Plan to Give Executive
Record November Vote.
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE

BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.
Special Dispatch to The Star
BOSTON, Mass, May 21.-It would
De difhcult to exaggerate the depth OF
Massachusetts, vexatiou over Henr,
Cabot Lodges desertion of Calvin
toohdge in the hour of the Presi-
cents tribulations. The writer found
hinIself in Boston on the day the Sen.
ATE voted to override the bonus veto
and remained long enough to gauge
ing it.
The outside country has little reali.
Zation of the extent to which Massa
tnusetts nowadays has faith in" Cal
YIN Coolidge. 1t looks upon criticism
Sl MIN as reprehensible in general
tpon diSloyalty to his cause, such as
the detection of Henry Cabot Lodge
II looks almost as il would look upon
high treason.
Would Defeat Lodge.
If 1t were Lodge instead of David
Walsh who were up for reelection tc
the United States Senate this year
there is every evidence that the Sage
OF Nahant would be overwhelmingly
defeated. Massachusetts reelected
Lodge in 1922 almost by a fiuke. He
won by majority of less than 5000
anything from $4,000 to 10000.
Today, if current comment in Bos-
ton is criterion, Lodge would be
consigned to the Salt Creek country
by an annihilating vote. People con-
sole themselves with the knowledge
hat the senator's age precludes as
itattons for reelection. Oblivion
would be his lot, they say, if. at the
expiration of his present term, on
March a., 1929. he should have the
courage to tempt fate.
Whats come over Lodge" is
the question leveled not once, but a
dozen times. at this observer by BoS-
tonians anxious for light on the sub
1ect from a newspaper man stationed
at Washington.
What's he got against Coolidge?
W hats the President done to him
What's become of responsible Re-
publican leadership in the Senate
How. longs Coolidge going to put UP
with 'double-crossing' at the hands
of the official Republican high-com-
mand in the Senator"
These questions are asked more in
Indignation than in ignorance. Some
times they are put amid expressions
of opinion about Senator Lodge that
are not complimentary to his sup
posedly still virile mental processes.
One thing is certain-if there could
be great and solemn referendum in
Massachusetts today as to the rela-
tive merits of Calvin Coolidge and
not hang fresh laurels on the politi-
cal reputation of the Bay state s
Oldest Republican politician.
Lodges purported treason" to
Coolidge happens to synchronize with
a period in which Massachusetts
finds itself in a sort of seventh heav-
IN of exaltation over the prospect of
cleeting to the presidency the first
Bay slater to hold the office since the
second Adams. Not since Franklin
Pierce has any New Englander at all
been in the White House.
Planned Bumper Vote.
Massachusetts, Republicans have
been planning to roll up bumper
state majority for Coolidge in No
vember. They scout the idea that
any Democrat can beat him in his
own territory, or even come any
where near beating him. To achieve
u huge Massachusetts majority for
Coolidge has become matter of state
pride.
Democrats, of course. are not part
of this sentimental conspiracy. They
believe the right kind of Demo-
cratic candidate-Smith would be the
right kind, from the standpoint of
the somewhat moist and somewhat
Roman Catholic Democratic electorate
of the state-could smash Coolidge in
Massachusetts. But Republican Mas
sachusetts snorts at the suggestion
that Calvin Coolidge is even near
vulnerable. The more enthusiastic
among them even talk about a second
term in the White House for him
four years beginning March, 1925 and
four years beginning March. 1929.
1t is because of this vast common
wealth pride in the President that
feeling toward Lodge runs high and
wakes hot in Massachusetts,. 1t is
not softened by the recollection that
blooded supporter of Coolidge in pre-
presidential times. The late w. MUIR
ray Crane, William NJ. Butler, the
Presidents 1924 manager, and Frank
and friend, never forgave Lodge for
his lukewarm enthusiasm for Cool
idge's presidential candidacy in 1919
and 1920
years ago many of Coolidge's sup
porters believed, and still believe,
that the Governor of Massachusetts,
instead of Senator Harding, might
have achieved the presidential nomi-
nation with genuine backing from
Lodge. Lodge appeared to be going
along" with the Coolidge managers at
Chicago. but did so feebly and with
out rolling UP his sleeves.
On the major crises which Calvin
Coolidge faced in Washington. Mas
sachusetts certainly expected Senator
lodge to stand by the Preside >"
They expected him to do it as a Mas
Sachusetts man. as MASSACHUSETTS,
he Senate. Instead. Massachusetts
has seen Lodge desert Coolidge's
standards on the Bursum pensionybilI.
on the Japanese exclusion issue, and
on the bonus.
May Break With Lodge.
Massachusetts has seen Lodge de-
picted to the country as the break
fast counselor of the President and
the regularly summoned oracle at the
White House on critical legislative
occasions, only to see him later as an
ubstructionist as fatal to administered
lion programs as the Democrats them
selves.
Senator Lodges private world court
Ian, sprung by surprise in fragrant
disregard of the President and Sec
rotary Hughes, was considered al
most the last straw, in the opinion of
Coolidge's Massachusetts hackers
According to word just sent here by
Robert Choate, Washington CORE
spondent of the Boston Herald. who
is reputed to be high in White House
confidence, a definite break between
Henry Cabot Lodge and the Presi-
dent is impending. If it takes place
its effects would be as far-reaching
as those which ensued after the
breaches between Woodrow Wilson
and some of his once trusted con-
fidantes.