Evening star., 1926-09-30
The President and the Campaign.

administration This battlecry OF
the Republicans is heard throughout
the land. 1t is heard in Ohio. where
Senator Frank B. Willis is fighting
for reelection. It is heard in New
York, where Wadsworth and Mills
are. engaged in a desperate struggle
against their Democratic opponents;
in Massachusetts, the Presidents
State, where his close friend, Senator
William M. Butler, is giving his own
Interpretation Of Battling Butler"
This plea has its dangers for the
administration as we'll as its advan-
tages for the candidates. If the cam
paign is made principally on the issue
Of supporting the President and con-
tinuing prosperity under Republican
rule, the decision rendered at the
polls November 2 must be interpreted
as an Endorsement or a defeat OF the
administration. This is a. chance
which the Republican leaders must
take. Indeed, If the support the
President" slogan were not raised at
all. and the Democrats should WIN
either house Of Congress or both, the
administration opponents would de-
clare the result q defeat for Coolidge.
The country generally would so In
terpret it. 1t would appear. there
fore, that the Republican leaders are
making no blunder in raising the 1s-
sue, particularly in view Of the popu'
laritv Of President Coolidge and his
administration.
The effort of the Republican con-
gressional standard bearers in most
of the States is to get away from To-
cal issues, some Of which are unfavor-
able to the party. They are turning
to national issues to save them. After
all, the election Of the National Legis-
lature should be governed as largely
by national issues as the election of
a national executive. A Republican
Congress Is as essential to the pro-
gram Of the Republican party as
Republican President. If there Is
party difference between the Capitol
and the White House. an administra-
ton is hamstrung, hog-tied and gen.
orally impotent.
President Coolidge saved the party
in 1924. A year earlier the political
thunderclouds hung heavy over the
Republicans. Coolidge was the issue
in the 1924 campaign, and the issue
swept the country for the Republi-
cans. The people preferred to be safe
with Coolidge to risking the uncer-
tainties Of control by La Toilette or
John w. Davis. It is only natural
now that the Republicans, in danger
of losing control Of the Senate and
to q less extent Of losing the House,
should cast longing eyes again to the
man in the White House who today
personifies Republican Government.
The President has kept hands off
the party primaries. He may take no
active part in the campaign for the
general elections. He Is the Chief
Executive Of the entire country, and
there is always question as to the
propriety and eXpediency Of his en-
tering political campaign, even
though he Is the titular head Of his
party. President Wilson's plea for
the election of Democratic Congress
in 1918, when the country was at war.
proved disastrous. but largely because
the country was then at war and Re
publicans were incensed at the i'm
piled taunt they had not been patri-
otic in their service. Also, even had
Mr.. Wilson made no such plea, the
chances are the Republican success
would have come. But whether Pres
ident Coolidge participates In the
present campaign or not, the result
will be used as a measure OF his popu'
larity and the popularity of the ad'
ministration.