Evening star., 1926-05-30
Retains Personal Popularity,
But His "EaStern" Attitude
Cuts Political Strength.
IOWA RACE is REGARDED
AS 1928 G. O.. p. FACTOR
Lowden May Get Agriculture
States votes-Section Demands
a Square Deal.
BY q. GOULD LINCOLN.
Staff Correspordent OF The star.

of the corn belt is trained on WASH
ington and the Coolidge administra-
ton. 1t IS watching with close in
terest the fight in Congress over
farm legislation.
To date the corn belt. which Is
typified by Iowa, but extends into
other Midwest States, has a most
unfavorable impression of the ad-
ministration attitude toward farm
relief. In the last week have talked
with bankers and business men,
farmers and professional men. store
keepers, big and little. The dominant
the West is getting too little con-
sideration from the East, which Is
in the saddle.
In America it is the custom to IN
terpret every development Of sent-
ment in terms of politics. Political
fortunes and prospects are weighed
in the light of aroused sentiment.
The sentiment in the corn belt Is
being used as a yardstick to meas
ure the popularity Of the Coolidge
administration.
The prospects of Senators and
Representatives who must stand for
denomination and reelection this
Summer and Fall. and of the Pres
ident himself in 1928, will be con-
sidered in the light Of this senti-
ment.
Likes Coolidge Personally.
President Coolidge is personally
popular in Iowa. which he carried
bv a huge vote in 1924 against John
w. Davis and the late Senator La Fol-
lette. .....
The people like him for his honesty
and ability. They like his economy
and his tax reduction program. But
the President has not been able to
convert them to the Eastern view Of
the farm problem. His Chicago
speech rankles in the minds OF many.
The talk Is Of his failure to get the
Western viewpoint Of the Vests
most important problem. agriculture.
Men high in the Republican party
councils in this section shake their
heads and say that Coolidge Is Slip
ping" that he is not as strong with
the voters as he was year ago. They
do not mean he is unpopular, or that
he could not carry Iowa and all the
other Midwestern States as he did In
1924, If he had it to do over again.
They are, however, seeking to meas
ure the popularity Of the Coolidge
and at the same time
are estimating his chances of renOm-
nation in 1928-although there has
been no indication from the President
whether he will be candidate to sue
ceed himself.
Doubts Square Deal.
The corn belt is convinced 1t Is not
getting a square deal from the East,
which 1t declares is dominant in Con-
gress and the White House.
This goes in Iowa not merely for
the farmers, but for the bankers and
business men generally. What Is 60
ing to be the political effect Of this Sec
tional sense of injustice?
Take for example the case of SEN
ator Cummins of Iowa who must 60
to the polls next week for renomina
ton. He has been a supporter of the
and Is SO looked upon,
although he has broken away from 1t
in the matter of the McNary Haugen
bill the most concrete Iowa idea of
farm relief. If he had stood with the
in It's opposition to
that measure, his chances for renom-
ination would have been about as
bright as London on foggy day. AS
it Is he has great fight on his hands.
One Of the reasons for this Is resent
ment in some quarters against the
agricultural policy.
The interjection of Col. Brookhart into
the senatorial race may prove lucky
for him, for it has divided in a meas
ire his OppositiOn
Organization May Win.
Senator Cummins may win his fight
for denomination. Many in the State
think he will. But If he does it will
be because he has the strongest or
ganization of the three principal con-
the regulars for Brookhart. If he
loses on the other hand. his defeat will
have been accomplished in spite Of his
complete organization in the State,
and the issue will have been more
clearly made.
President Coolidge has. not been
made an issue of this senatorial cam
paign, not so far at any rate. There
have been no appeals put out to sup
port Cummins, and by so doing sup
port the Coolidge administration, as
was done in the Pennsylvania pri-
martes and in Illinois, where Senators
Pepper and Mckinley lost. In fact,
the greatest effort has been made to
convince the people that Senator
Summings does not stand with the
administration on the farm problem.
Nor has Col. Brookhart, mindful per-
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