Evening star., 1924-01-06

I'M on fresh impetus with
the opening Of tho new
year. Dispatches from
The Stars special political cor
respondents throughout the coun-
try indicate that characteristic
pre-convention STRINGS are well
under way in both political par
ties. There was something OF a
lull over the holidays. but now
the managers of several candi-
dates are active In various states
and the realization Is brought
home to Mr.. Average Citizen that
1t Is a presidential year.
AS perhaps Is natural under
existing circumstances, democratic
contests for the presidential nom
ination are of the more spectacu-
lar interest. There were no de-
velopments during the week to
promise the republicans anything
more than a race between Presi-
dent Coolidge and Senator Hiram
Johnson, and up to the present
Coolidge appears too far out in
front to make the contest much
of a thriller. With the demo-
Gratis it is different. Being on
the outside looking in, 1t Is
n -for-all with them, and
booms and boomlets are SPRING
ing up on every hand. McAdoo
hackers claim their favorite Is
setting the pace. but In places
an IN al a
ty hard. and with the democratic
conventions two-thirds rule hang
ing over them the McAdOo claims
of confidence must be taken with
due allowances for the supposed
psychological effect of confident
claims.
fractional fights in both parties
in numerous states are strewing
thorns in the paths OF the man
ayers of all the candidates. A
good deal has been heard about
democratic hopes being buoyed up
by factional strife within the re-
publican ranks, but reading OF
the dispatches to The Sunday Star
leads to the belief that so lar
as party advantage from factlon
alism goes, It is a case or six or
one and a half a dozen of the
other. The democrats seem TO
have about as many sore spots os
there are in the G. .. p.
Texas furnishes an example OF
how bitter factionalists demo-
Gratis may become, although it
does not mean. OF course, that the
republicans have any chance or
walking off with the Lone star
states electoral vote. But II does
hold out promise that plans OF the
McAdoo managers for an instruct
disarranged. There is a three
Cornered fight among Texas demo-
Gratis which holds all sorts of pos
sibilities. Primarily It seems to
be a contest for control between
Gov. Neff and National Committee
Senator Morris Sheppard have be-
come involved and are creating a
merry stir. Committeeman Love Is
the leader of the Texas McAdoo
forces and wants an instructed
delegation. Gov. Neff has also
but as part of the strategy for the
unhorsing Of Love has opposed in
structions. Now comes the state
executive committee and goes on
record as fayoring the presenta-
tion Of Gov. Neff. as the Texas
"favorlte SON caHd1date for tTe8-
ident. That got under the skin
of the friends of Senator Sheppard,
who claim It is both a slight to
the distinguished public services
of the senator and a scheme to ad-
vertise Neff. who may be an op-
posing candidate IN the senatorial
primaries when sheppard comes
up for reelection So Texas may
be placed in the column of doubt
full" states, SO far as her votes In
the democratic convention are
concerned.
Brighter McAdoo news comes
from California. There is reported
a rapidly growing sentiment in
favor OF sending a solid delegation
for the Golden states adopted"
son, and the bitterness of the re-
publican fight between the John
son and Coolidge factions encour-
ages democrats to believe they
may capture the states electoral
vote. Coolidge headquarters have
been opened at San Francisco, Los
Angeles, Fresno and Sacramento
and the rival republican forces
have settled down for a desperate
struggle, with the issue admittedly
in doubt.
In illinois there is democratic
jubilation over the bitterness of
the republican struggle for con-