Evening star., 1925-05-24
SENATORIAL PLANS
FOR 1926 SIMMER
0vershadoWed by Business,
Some G. o. P. Upsets Held
Likely in Politics.
BY ROBERT T. SMALL.

D1 IlODLhl l. ShEhLh'
DETROIT, May 23.-Travelins
through the country, one encounters
much talk of business and very little
of politics.
In States like India>a and Ohio the
pot is boiling 1t il 81 Ways boiling,
for these two commos<U..al this are for
ever seething with political plot and
intrigue. In both States they already
are preparing for the senatorial cam
paigns of next year, and II present
signs continue some rather startling
surprises may occur. Senator Spen-
GERS death also has stirred up the
caldrons of Missouri.
Business men show something of
lmpatience when approached on the
subject of the political outlook. They
appear to take it for granted that "ev-
erything is all right at Washington"
and they seem to think that, with the
assembling of Congress in the reg
ular session next December, President
Coolidge will have complete control
Of tie EQUATION.
Encouraged by Longworth.
PART of this attitude of confidence
as to Congress is due to the fact that
Nicholas Longworth of Cincinnati,
Speaker -ele-t of the House, has been
spreading the gospel through Ohio and
contiguous territory that grand old
harmony chorus is going to spring up
from the Capitol end of Pennsylvania
avenue next Winter. OF course, the
Speaker-elect has had the House in
mind He feels that under his guild
ance and craftsmanship the Republican
majority IL sufficient TO function
handily on every project the Presi-
dent may hrihs forward He has
made the business men feel that a
real ''MellCG" tax bill will be enacted
next session and that all democratic
propositions will be thrown out neck
and crop.
But Longworth has been discreetly
silent about the Senate. When you
point this out to the business men
they begin to ponder the matter more
seriously. The Speaker-elect knows
that neither he nor any other Re
publican can tell what the Senate
is going to do. 1t has shown that
It can do almost anything-and prob
ably will.
Senate Outlook Dubious.
It comes as something of a shock
10 the Republican business men to be
told further that the present slim
paper control of the Senate by the
grand old party is likely to have all
the props knocked out from under it
a year from next November. They
are amazed to learn that only seven
Dem )cratic Senators are up for re-
election next year and all are from
States of the solid South, where a
turnover is impossible. Therefore it
is patent that with absolutely no
chance to gain, the Republicans are
in a fair way-a very fair 'way-of
losing several seats, for some of the
Republicans whose terms are eXpir
ing in 1926 were swept into office on
the Harding landslide of 1920. Next
year they must stand on their own
feet and their own records, with no
national ticket to help them through
the tall timbers, where the goblins
of defeat always are leering and grin
ming.
Senator Frank B. Willis is facing
a none too happy situation in Ohio.
His party is by no means a unit be-
hind him, and there is a chance that
he may have stiff opposition in the
primaries as well as at the polls. Sen
ator Willis is known to be nursing a
presidential bee for 1928. and there
fore he will fight hard next year, and
all his friends will do the same.
Cox Not Candidate.
There have been reports from time
to time in Ohio that former Gov.
James NJ. Cox might run for the Sen
ate against Mr.. Willis. The writer is
in a position to state that Gov. Cox
mas no such Intentions and that no
amount of pressure could induce him
to change his mind. 1t has been re-
ported that the governor remarked
recently that he grew tired years ago
''of beating Willis"
Senator Jim" Watson in Indiana
may have to face Albert J. Beveridge
at the primaries. If not BeVeridge, he
Will have other opposition, and much
bitterness may be engendered before
the campaign is through.
But the country appears to be in
terested in business at the moment
rather than politics. On the trains and
in the hotels you hear nothing but
business, business, business. And il is
always sforward-looking business. Amer
ica's business spirits are high, the
situation generally appears to be
sound. The extent to which the people
of the country are engrossed in bust
ness is astounding. 1t all goes to