Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-09-03
DEMOCRATIC RIFT
AGAIN IS APPARENT
California Primary Held Def
mite Sign of Revived Smith
McAdoo Fight.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Hope springs eternal in the breasts
or the politically ambitious, but there
has hardly been anything Ito equal
the tenacity with which the followers
Of William Gibbs McAdoo have chung
to his standard. Just as Democrats
were beginning to feel that the 1923
convention would not be n repetition
of the Madison Square Garden fiasco
the primaries in California arose to
indicate otherwise.
For the California primary is the
best evidence that could be offered
that the breach inside the Democratic
party has not been healed. and this,
by the way. causes no small amount
of rejoicing in the bosoms of the Re
publican leaders who feel even more
p confident on that account of a con-
tinuance of Republican control of the
executive branch Of the Government.
Issues Like Those o. 1924.
Whether the responsibility for the
revival of the McAdoo- Smith rivalry
rests with the Dock weller wing of the
Democracy in California, or whether
It is the result OF local political
ambitions or the part of those who
fought for McAdoo to control the
State machinery, the fact remains
that in Mr.. McAdoo's own State q
battle has been fought on issues not
far different from those which kept
the Madison Square Garden conven-
ton balloting for days and days.
Throughout the country until now
there has been among the Demo-
Gratis n semblance of harmony. The
effort to abolish the two thirds rule
was advanced by McAdoo men and
concurred in by Smith supporters in
the hope that the next convention
could nominate by majority ballot.
But the California episode reveals
that the sores of 1924 have not been
healed and that the fight is on with
the same intensity as before. The
only advantage of the early outcrop-
ping Of this rivalry is that it may
awaken other Democrats to the folly
of further strife so early in the game
as to cause the elimination Of the
two main gontenders and an agree
ment on compromise candidate long
before the convention is at hand.
Smith Taises Offensive.
The situation is very much differ.
ent, however, from the one in the
months preceding the Madison Square
Garden convention. Then the McAdoo
managers. confident and aggressive,
were talking Of the probable majority
they would get. Now it is the Smith
faction which is confident and on the
offensive. The fact that the fight was
carried into Mr.. McAdoo's own State
is a, sign OF how the NcAdoo forces
have been placed on the defensive.
Whether the former Secretary of
the Treasury really cares about an
other fight for the presidential NOM
ination is doubtful. His friends are
as eager for him to make the race as
they We're before, because they think
he can unite the West and South and
perhaps capture a Middle Western
State or two because OF his strong
hold on union labor--a combination
Of electoral votes something like that
which won in 1916. 1t is a familiar
argument. and il failed in 1921 to be
convincing.
Want Power of Veto.
But presidential politics can be "a
matter Of group strategy as we'll as
individual ambitions. The McAdoo
followers may feel unable to name
their own leader, but there is every
sign that they still want to retain
their power % veto If not dictation.
There are plenty Of Democrats of the
Wilson wing further East who might
absorb the McAdoo strength If it is
kent intact. Newton u. Baker or
former Senator Pomerene of Ohio
may be the heirs of this nucleus. de-
pending on how the Ohio election for
Senator turns out this Fall. 1t is
early to forecast the lines Of cleavage
in the Democratic party. but the out
break of Smith Adoo rivalry is con
sidered none too> salutary a circum-
stance for ultimate Democratic har-
mony.
tCopyright 1895.