The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-05-17

A WhirIWind Finish
Restless Leaders
OarSnan Needed
Guidance Sought
BY NJ. e. Tracy


finishes.
The British strike was brought
to an end; Amundsen sailed from
Spitzbergen to Alaska, taking in the
north pole on his way; Pilsddski
made himself dictator Of Poland, for
the time being at least; Bubbling
Over won the Kentucky Derby, and
Charley Paddock broke a century
old record for the 1OO-yard dash.
"Has civilization failed?" Sir
Phillip Gibbs wants to know. point
ing out that there is world wide
worry over ''the problems of life
and the future of humanity"
II find nowhere a settled faith, ;"
says Sir Philip, "Or a steady
optimism in the endurance Of
civilization or the increase Of in
dividual happiness"
Let us not get too weepy, brother,
for the old time cock-sureness or
suppose that people are going to
drown themselves in an ocean of
doubt and dismay, simply because
they can see more than one interest
ing direction in which to steer.
1t was cock.sureness that en-
throned the Gods on Olympus, that
refused to sail west because the
earth was fiat and burned a million
or so perfectly good grandmothers
as witches, but it didn't guarantee
the permanence of institutions or
happiness for the soul.
Civilization is compounded on
movement and the greatest hope OF
happiness it holds is the opportunity
of finding out things that were
never known before.
=. l. j.
No one can guess what the com
ing week will bring forth, but there
il one thing on the blotter tina:
should make it interesting.
For the second time this spring
the Coolidge Administration will try
its luck with a Senator.
Having suffered one reverse. when
Mckinley was beaten in Illinois, it
will not go to bat for George Whar.
ton Pepper.
When a Republican Adminstra-
ton has to bat for any henchman
in Pennsylvania, something is
wrong.
/ don't see how a Republican Ad-
ministration could confess weak
ness more completely than by hur
rying two cabinet members into
Pennsylvania to save the toga for
a candidate Hho has been eminently
regular, safe and conservative.
If Pepper loses, he can lay it 10
lack Of confidence in the Administra.
ton, and if he wins he can claim
credit for having done so in spite Of
that luck.
Not only because OF the situation
In Pennsylvania. but because of OBJ
vious demoralized conditions in most
States it may justly be said that
President Coolidge has failed to hold
his party together.
He took it over in a most healthy
condition-all popped and ready to
go. because OF Harding's leadership.
Within a year and a half the ef-
fects of that leadership have prac.
tically disappeared and there Is lit
tie left to keep the party in line.
save habit and tradition.
Only the big boys, the wall Street
crowd, the captains OF industry, the
Rabbits and others like them are
able to smile with anything like
satisfaction. The rest of the party,
the rank and file, restless, nervous
and energetic. these leaders who
look on progress as movement, not
stagnation, find themselves wonder
ing what 1t is all about.
T. T. =.
Coolidge comes from Vermont. Of
course, where anything new or
different has long since come to be
regarded with surprise.
The party and the people took him
over In a moment of weariness,
when they thought it would be nice
to have somebody who would not
rock the boat.
IhNy ilONSA SlOppSu " llllilk llldt
they might be getting somebody
who wouldn't row the the boat.
/ T. =
It is only fair to say that the
man suffers by sharp contrast with
the vigorous mind of Wilson and by
still sharper contrast with the
friendly mind Of Harding.
His long silences, interrupted now
and then only by curt platitudes,
come like a wet blanket after the
formers inspiring idealism and the
latter's warm sympathy.
But, and making every allowance
for that, his apparent. inability to
handle Congress, and his unwilling.
ness to take a hand in such sit
uations as that presented by the coal
strike, leave not only the people,
but his own party, in a mood to lool,
somewhere else for that kind of
guidance which the Visor and am.