Evening star., 1926-04-22

Now that the smoke Of political bat
tie has cleared away in Illinois there
still is no generally accepted eXplana-
tion of the defeat of Senator Mckln-
lev by Col. Frank L. Smith for the Re
publican senatorial nomination. Many
observers think it is clear that Sena-
tor McKinleys support of the World
Court was the deciding factor; others
see a rebuke for the national admins
tration on account of delay in provid-
ing farm relief, and still others insist
that it was just a case OF upset In
State factional politics.
1.-The League of Nations" asserts the
Wichita Beacon independent Republ1-
CAM, sis the real bette noir' in the
drama. 1t is the bugaboo that inspired
the voters to boot Mckinley out of the
political arena. This newspaper does
not happen to believe that the League
of Nations has any essential connec-
ton with the World Court, but appar.
emily the Illinois voters thought so"
The Racine Journal News Republican,,
with a similar point Of view, believes
that "the only excuse by World Court
advocates that may be offered is that
the issue Is not thoroughly understood
and that SO many people think 1t Is
about the same as the League of Ma
tions. Be this as 1t may" continues
the Racine paper, 1.-The facts must be
faced, and on the basis Of the returns
and the issues debated the voters are
against the United States joining the
World Court.
The Milwaukee Journal independently
Is Of the opinion that while ''in such a
fight it Is impossible to say how much
the World Court issue counted, no one
will pretend that it did not count for
something and has not suffered a. re-
verse;"
"It Is useless to deny" continues
the Rochester Times Union Qndepend-
ent), ''that the Illinois primary consti-
tutes a setback for the friends of
American adhesion to the court. y
while the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel
Republican) points out that, Except
for the fact of his support of the
League Court, Senator Mckinley,
whom Col. Smith so smashingly de-
feated, had not a single handicap"
The Lafayette Journal Courier (inde.
pendent Republican, goes further with
the statement that "the immediate Is
sue was his vote and activity In favor
Of entry into the court created by the
League Of Nations. but 1t is probable
also that Mr.. McKinley's many trips
to Europe in behalf of movements ap-
parently tending toward American en-
try into the league helped bring about
his rejection" The Indianapolis News
independently also declares that IAN
examination Of McKinley's standing
with his party only STRENGTHENS the
conviction that he was defeated on
the World Court ISSUE"
- n 4 n
"The results, we are told" remarks
the Knoxville Sentinel independent
Democratic), have thrown a scare
into the administration Senators who
voted for the World Court. Those of
them who come up for reelection this
year are shaking in their shoes The
country as q whole should begin to
shake In it's shoes at the menace of
having it's politics and it's morals die.
tated by the Illinois and Chicago un.
derworld." But the Beloit Daily News
independently wonders What do the
Illinois voters think that Col. Smith
can do to knock out the court. pro-
vided he defeats Boss Brennan, his
Democratic opponent for the senator
ship, in the general election this
Fall?"
"In Illinois," as the Cincinnati
! Times-Star Republican) sums up the
matter, "a politician was nominated
as Republican candidate for Senator