Evening star., 1926-09-22
Reed of Missouri Discussed
AS Presidential Possibility

Friends and foes alike are inter
ested in the announcement of Senator
James A. Reed of Missouri that he
will retire from Congress at the end
of his present term. Immediately
there are heard suggestions that the
Senator might be formidable candl-
| date for the Democratic presidential
nomination. The St. Louis POst-Dis-
patch independently quotes as posi-
| BILE platform plank his statement that
there is a sound middle course on
prohibition questions" and the Bloom
| ington Paragraph independently be-
| lieves Reed probably would be noml-
| mated if the convention were held to-
| day.
Recognizing that lin spite OF the
| fact that he is so often to be found
| with oppositions of one kind or an
other, Senator Reed has a great deal
! of useful and constructive work to his
credit, and has ably represented the
interests of his State" the New York
| Sun independently believes that 'in
many ways the MissOurian's retire
ment would be a loss to the Senate and
| to the country. It would at the least
| take a good deal of the sparkle and
/ color out of the senatorial delibera-
| tions, which are none too sparkling or
colorful at best. In the rough and
tumble of debate he has no superior"
says the Sun, land it may be doubted
I that he has an equal. Even when he
has been on the wrong side of ques-
tion--and this has happened not infre-
| quently-the integrity of his motives
has been beyond question"
| II x * X
The loss to the Senate is emphasized
also by the Asheville Times Gndepend-
ent DemOcratic), which sees in Reed
1.-The foe of tedium," and remarks
that "he may enrage, he may wound,
but he never bores.'' The Times
thinks che has a gift of whitening
| sarcasm which amounts almost to
genius" The Grand Rapids Herald
lGndependent Republican, pays this
tribute: His is the spirit of the
fighting West. He is never to be
lightly challenged, and he never ad,
mits defeat. Senators like Reed keep
the old traditions of the Senate fresh.
We keenly regret his decision to re-
tire. The Senate's anemia must not
| become progressive and perniciouS.
But it's symptoms are alarming"
| IF Senator Reed had courted pub
| lie favor" remarks the Richmond
Times-Dispatch Democratic). ''he
might have been the standardbearer
i of the Democratic party. But he was
not constituted that way. However.
| he will be remembered long after
| some presidential candidates are for
| gotten as the most feared man in
| American politics. The TimesDis-
| patch, reviewing his services, states:
! "IIe is not constructive statesman,
unless it be that his vigorous express
| sion of opinion has served in some de-
| gree to shape the thought of the
| country. But no more colorful figure
has been in the Senate during the last
| generation than he"
| The Ann Arbor Times-News tnde-
| pendent feels that "18 years in the
| Senate ought to suffice for any man.
| and has no doubt that Senator Reed
| has served as a healthful influence
| for the country, because he kept his
| colleagues on their toes" The De-
catur Review recalls that "his decided
| stand on issues has introduced him as
| a courageous if not heroic states
man.
Quoting the Senator as saying, IL
want a home of my own, with a
| back ward. where / can have dog,
! the Kansas City Post Gndependent)
comments: There is a culver OF that
| firm chin which bespeaks of the depth
| of inward feelings OF the man. we
wish his wish might come true. but
| well. there are so many kinds of dogs,
and each kind has it's favorite FOL
| lowing among the voters. The tariii
and prohibition and farm relief and
our international relations are issues
which pale into insignif1cance as we
begin to appreciate the dlfficultles
! selecting
the right pup"
"Altnough Senator Reed has Otter
been out of step with his party during
the nearly 18 years he has served III
the Senate. notably on the League oi
Nations and World Court issues" ac
cording to the Omaha World-Heralo
GndependenD. "he is probably the
most thoroughgoing Democrat ir
America today. Not in the partisan
sense, but in his extreme individual
ism, in his opposition to what ne
conceives to be the unjust and un
warranted encroachment of govern
ment upon human rights and hoer
tiles. in his championship of the under
dog. There are able men in the Sen
ate today, as there have been able
men at almost every period OF the
Nations history, and Jim Reed, fol
all his cantankerous obstinacy, ir
spite of the fact that his fights almost
invariably turn out to be losing fights
is not the least of these" The Sar
Francisco Bulletin independently adds
that when wrong he can be more
wrong than anybody else, but wher
right he is the head and front of the
catfse."
| X y X
Discussing Senator Reed as presi
dental possibility. the Tulsa Worlt
independently is impelled to believe
that while it is almost impossible Il
see Reed a real contender for the
presidential nomination. stranger
things have happened-and numerou:
things far less worthy. Reed woult
make not merely an acceptable Presi
dent, but a President who would
stamp himself indelibly upon the coun