The Washington times., 1924-02-04
ALL To LET
QUESTION
SLEEP
Alive, War President Could
Vet Have swayed Coun-.
sells Of His Party.
BY WILLIAM HARD.

0S "AAAA<AM 1x&ANOs
The death Of Woodrow Wilson
makes profound change in the
nature Of the Democratic cam
paign for the Presidency this year
both in the making Of the platform
and in the chn0sine Of the can
didate.,
Woodrow Wilson was the great
remaining latent force which
could have compelled the Demo-
cratic party, even against the will
Of its other leaders, to stick to an
outright belief in the League of
Nations and to an outright de-
mand for the League in the course
OF Democratic campaign speeches.
CANDIDATES AVOID LEAGUE.
: The three outstanding candidates
Tor the Democratic nomination for
the Presidency-McAdoo of Cali.
fornia, Underwood OF Alabama, and
Smith of New York-have in vary.
ing. degrees drawn back from any
outright immediate advocacy Of the
League.
In fact, it is we'll known here
that Mr., McAdoo has fully made up
his mind not to make the League a
dominant Issue this year. He is
known to feel that the moment for
that particular method Of American
entrance into European affairs has
has gone by. He believes In Amer
lean participation In the settlement
OF Europe, but he has let it be
known that he definitely no longer
DeHeVes that the League method
OF going into Europe 10 at this time
politically feasible in America.
COULD YET SWAY PARTY.
What has made 1t doubtful that
this view Of the matter could be
successfully maintained by the
democratic party this summer and
this fall was the continued life of
woodrow Wilson. 1t was observed
that his picture on the screens in |
movie theaters still draw emphatic
applause from voters. It was
realized that one word from him
TO the voters of the Democratic |
parry would go over the heads |
OF the other leaders of the party
ana would rouse the rank and file |
IN large parts OF It to a new en-,
1n4s1asm Tor the old League issue. |
AZ tnls prospective possible re.
sponae by the Democratic voters |
to Woodrow Wilson's word was
not fact, 1t was at any rate a |
profound fear by Democratic lead. |
ers In general. They feared that
q speech by Woodrow Wilson on
the doorstep of his home on 8
street would make the League of |
Matioas again an immediate
thought in the Democratic party
throughout the country.
NOW when that word can never
pe spoken the campaign by the
democrats this year will pursue
q course dominated by the can.
dtdacies Of gentlemen whose enthu.
siasm Tor the League is strongiv
checked by their views regarding
the political inexpediency Of any
1mmediate display Of that enthu.
slasEn.
DEMOCRATIC SITUATION NOW
The Democratic situation becomes
As follows:
Three candidates for the Demo.
cratic nomination-McAdoo and I'm.
derwood and Smith-are playing
the league down. Three other can.
didates-Ralston, Of Indiana, COZ.
Of Ohio, and Davis, OF West Vir.
g1nia,-are inclined toward playing
I UP, but they are minor candi.
dates and they can be nominated
only by the votes Of McAdoo and
Smith and Underwood delegates.
Those delegates, 1t is presumed, |
VIII have the McAdoo or Under.
wood or Smith view Of the league:
and now there will not be behind
them any possibility of the sound
of the voice of Woodrow Wilson
driving them to an instant interna.
tional 'idealism" which they do not
feel.
The league, therefore, as an Is
sue sinks notably lower with Wood.
row Wilson's descent to the grave.
Copyright. 1924, Washington Press
Service.)