Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-08-20
c. OPP. HEARTENEO
BY DAWES SPEECH
Aggressive Position Adopted
and Attack on La Fol-
Iette Are Gratifying.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Gen. Charles G.. Dawes speech OF
acceptance awakens here among Re-
publicans even more enthusiasm than
the address of President Coolidge
not because he expounds the issues
any more skiIlfully, but because he
takes an aggressive position. And
politicians like the fire of an attack
1t was the Republican vice presi-
Dental nominees attack Id Fol
lette and radlCalism, however, which
made il inspiring to the Republicans
Whatever miSgivinEs there may hav.
'een imm ediately after the tleNe-
land convention, when Gen Dawes
was nominated over the protest of
friends of President Coolidge who
feared the effect of Gen Dawes anti
union labor utteranceS. there is no
doubt now that since La Toilette has
entered the race and labor has in
dor%cd La Toilette. the Republicans
are more than glad OF a champion of
the Dawes type who appeals to the
conservative business interests of TIE,
country.
Look to Conservatives.
1h1 whole Republican strategy now
Is to gather Democratic and Rcpuh-
iIcan conservatives under the Cool
idgc-paWeS banner without making
any effort particularly to coax the
radicals into line. There are more
conservatives. if the combined Re-
publican and Democratic strength is
measured. than there are radicals,
especially those of the extreme tyne
Mr.. Dawes comedies that John w
Davis is safe and sound, but argues
mat the three-c"rnered fight may
deadlock tn" contest and make Gov.
Bryan President. The Democrats will
use the same argument, no doubt to
convince labor that by voting for La
Toilette they are throwing their
votes away.
First Gun in Offensive.
But as an example of Republican
doctrine. which fits in with the de-
sires of conservatives who think the
only way TO kill La Follettism and
TadlcallSm is to knock it into the
Heau by strong utteranceS. the speech
or Gen. Dawes is the first gun in
what may be- expected to be a vigor-
Gus offensive on his part all through
the campaign. His prestige in con-
iectlon with the settlement of the
reparatlons problem has given him
more than ordinary powers to at
tract attention. He is not the usual
kind OF vice presidential candidate
his speeches will draw crowds and
VIII be read. So. while the silent
CALVIN Coolidge Will conduct the
dlsnlhed campaign of President
seeking continuance in power, the
vice presidential nominee will en-
gage in the rough and tumble" game
OF politics. and hit hard His speech
81 acceptance was along that line.
he called Senator La Toilette by
name, and condemned his program
unequiHocally. From now on there
Will be no quarter.
European Settlement Aids.
Gen. Dawes. moreover is ia he rho
animated answer to the criticism that
the Republicans have done nothing
on foreign policy. Every DAYS news
dispatches tells of the operation of
what has been called the Dawes plsn
IL Europe begins an era of recovery
and prosperity is reflected back to
america, the Republicans will keep
on talking about the Dawes plan. The
speech of the vice presidential can
dldate contains no new promises of
constructive Legislation, but argues
that the policy of La Toilette is I'M
Safe and unsound, and that the surest
way to avoid it is to stick to the
conservative bandwagon with a ticket
mat is conservative at both ends
The suggestion of Gen. Dawes that
the Democrats are .'straddling" be
tween the two extremes is a keynote
IN itself. 1t is what the Republican
managers will try to accomplish in
the campalsn-they want the public
TO have the Impression that the fight
is between radicalism and conserva-
tsm of common sense sort, and
that there is no middle ground.
The speech of John w. Davis at
Columbus next week is looked for
ward to now as the next Develop
ment in the campaign, for in it,
no doubt, there will be an answer
to the questions raised by Gen. Dawes.
Copyright. 1874