Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-02-26
DEMOCRATS PLAN
. TO FIGHT COOLIDGE
New Congress to Find Mi
nority Ready to Take Up
Any Issues Arising.
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.
IF plans of certain influential Dem
ocratic leaders materialiZe, President
Coolidge's honeymoon" days in Con-
gress will end with the session that
expires on March 4. With the 1925
congressional elections looming, the
tftular leader of the Republican party
will find himself in front of the guns
Through joint considerations OF
strategy and respect, the Democrats
have made no concerted attempt tC
lombard Mr. Coolidge since his cleo
ton in November. They reckoned, in
the first place. that the country, haV-
ing Just given the President an I'M
ntstakable vote of confidence. would
not approve of what might look like
a transparently partisan campaign
against him. In the second place
the Democrats felt that Mr.. Coolidge
was entitled to Il breathing space
TO chance to develop policies and
chart course without molestation
from political opponents.
Opposition to Come.
When the Sixty-ninth Congress as
sembles next December, or possibly
in special session before that date
Democratic chieftains plan a less con-
siderate program of action Mr.
Coolidge is then to be treated by the
opposition wholly on his merits. as
the Democrats view them. There
will be no opposition purely for OPP
POSITIONS sake, but, as often as the
occasion offers, it will be waged on
something approaching the war-ro-
the-knife scale.
Foreign affairs are the field in
which the Democrats will make one
OF their strong drives on Coolidge
policies. The European war indebted
ness owing the United States Treas
ury is one of the first issues the OPP
position purposes raising. Senator
Pat Harrison of Mississippi, in a
Washington's birthday speech in
Illinois, indicated that the funding
of the debt by France, Italy and other
important debtors who have not fol-
lowed Great Britains funding eX-
ample will be vigorously demanded
by the Democrats. They will insist
that the United States quit "palaver-
ing with well intentioned but slow
moving European governments, and
require them to get down to brass
tacks. The Democrats Will base their
max e-Europe-pa program on
Americas domestic taxation neces-
sites.
Wants Business Relieved.
and the overburdened American tax
payer" says Senator Harrison, relief
must come in large measure from the
prompt funding of our European in
debtedness. How materially would be
lessened the restrictions on business,
and how lightened would be the load
the American taxpayer is carrying, II
under terms similar to the British
funding agreement we were to re-
4 -,r-1e ~ =
100000 a year from Europe. Assured
such an income, Congress would be
able at once to enact correspondence
heavy reductions in income taxation
and corporation taxes. The crys-
talIized public opinion of the country
should let the administration know,
and it, in turn, should let Europe
know, that immediate funding actlon
must be taken in order that good
understanding may not be marred
and international hnanclal stdDlIllS
NAV be promoted
The Democrats may be expected 10
turn their artillery, too, on the Cool
idge economy program. 1t wiz not
be attacked as general poucy, Out
from case to case, as strategic oppor-
tunity and public opinion suggest
His Majesty's Loyal Opposition, as
the minority party since time I'M
british House Of Commons, is going
70 watch the Coolidge money-saving
system particularly closely with re-
gard to its effects on national defense
The Democrats think it would De
easy to rouse the country on that
issue if there is any unreasonable
cheeseparing on the Navy or the air
forces.
Air Defense Offers Issue.
Many Democrats believe that the
mitchell scandal as the pr1nclpal
administration organ, the New OF h
Herald-Tribune, terms Gen. Mltchells
crusade. has given the opposition d
first-rate fighting issue for the next
Congress and for the 1929 congress
sional campaign. This writer, who is
lust back from the Middle West and
the Mississippi valley, found popular
sentiment ranged almost universally
on MitchelPs side. If the Coolidge
administration lines up against
Mitchell, and simultaneously Keeps
aviation expenditures down to the
bone, the Democrats are altogether
likely to seize upon Adequate AIR
Defense" as a winning 1926 battle
cry. Elections in America ana else
where more than once have been won
and lost on issues with far less
popular appeal
President Coolidge's new cabinet
will be carefully watched by Demo
Gratis for oppositional purposes They
are going to keep an especially Vigl-
liant eve on Charles Beecher warren
if the fates, as now seem certain
eventually place him in the Attorney
Seneralship. Some Democrats favored
Immediate confirmation of Warren, in
order that he might be 'snot at
afterward and not beforehand; that
&c TO say, judged by his acts at the
Department of Justice and by what
some of his senatorial enemies be-
lieve to be his ungovernable fondness
for coddling the corporations. Thai
was the strategy certain Democratic
leaders favored with regard &c
Harry NJ. Daugherty in 1924. They
thought Daugherty would be better
Democratic asset in the attorney gen
eraIship than out of it.
Cites Defeats in Past.
A prominent Southern Democrat, in
fiuential in party councils, fore
shadowing stormy weather for Pres
L