Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-14
Politics at Large
By C. Could Lincoln.

The Senate, Notwithstanding the
fact that it is divided evenly along !
political lines, is manifesting a de- |
termination to get things done. Since
it met a week ago it has practically |
disposed of the cases of Senators.
elect Smith of Illinois and Ware OF
Pennsylvania. The Republican insur'
gents, who have threatened to pre- |
vent the organization of the Senate
by the Republicans, have been pacl-
fed for the time being at least, In
deed, the upper house is probably as
far along in its program at the
present session as ii has been in past
Congresses, at this time of December.
How long the apparent era of good
will Is to linger no one knows. 1t IS
expected that when some of the legls-
lative questions arise there will be
a. different story-particularly in re-
gard to farm relief and taxation. But
no one really knows yet what is to
happen in regard to these important
measures. The Republican insurgents
are likely to stand with the admin
istration for a less cut in taxes, for
they believe that wealth should be
taxed to pay off the war debt as
lation is still up in the air. Politics
may rule the day in its consideration.
The Senate has breathed new life
into the Reed slush fund committee.
This was expected. While the com
mittee. headed by Senator Jim
Reed of Missouri, is so far authorized
only to inquire into senatorial cleo
tions in 1926, there are those who be-
lieve it will be given power later to
inauire into elections in 1928, Whlcn
will be a different story.
The annearance of Senate investi-
70 ing committees in national cam
naigns has become tradition In
recent years. If the Reed committee
is not continued for that purpose, then
another committee may be selected.
senator Reed of Missouri, who is him.
self a potential candidate 1or the
| Democratic nomination for Prelsdent'
or for the Senate to succeed nimseh'
NAV prefer not to serve on such
committee. If so, other Senators VIII
have the job of keeping watch
full eye on campaign expenditures.
X y y
The Democrats in 1924 undertook
q series of Investigations through con-
gressional committees, including the
Teapot Dome investigation and the
| investigation of the conduct of the
Department of Justice under former
Attorney General Harry Daugherty.
They unearthed enough scandals TO
warrant them in believing they had
the Republicans on the hip. But
Democratic victories did not ma
terialize. 1t looks now as though they
IN tn
capital through congressional lnvestl-
cations. A number are on the CARDS,
| besides a continuance of the Inquiries
| into the Pennsylvania and Illinois
senatorial primaries of 1925.
The minority in the Senate had
hoped for a real division between the
| insurgent Republicans and the reg
! ular wing of the party when the ses-
sion opened, and its failure to ma
terialize caused Senator Pat Harrison
of Mississippi to rise in his place ana
| twit the insurgents on their Wiling
ness to agree with the regulars In
matters of patronage and committee
| assignments. The Democrats are
| hoping for a political division in the
Republican ranks, with the West
aligned against the East and the
| North, in the coming campaign. Any
thing that savors of unity, therefore,
is not to their taste.
\ y
The strength of Secretary Hoover
of the Department of Commerce in
the race for the Republican presiden-
tial nomination is emphasized by
Patrick Sullivan, Republican national
committeeman from Wyoming, who
has recently been in Washington for
the meeting of the national COM
mittee. In the opinion of Mr.. Sulli-
van, the Republicans of the West are
for Mr.. Hoover for President, with
President Coolidge out OF the running.
Mr.. Hoover, Mr.. Sullivan holds, repre-
sents the Coolidge policies toward
business.
IF we stop to analyze American
politics since Cleveland's day., said
Mr.. Sullivan, I'VE will find that al
most without exception the candidate
proving most attractive to business
has won."
Mr.. Sullivan, while admitting that
former Gov. Frank o. Lowden of ILL
nois is an able man. insisted that he
had weakened himself with the voters
by opposing Coolidge policies.
Repeated efforts have been made to
show that the banking interests OF
the country are opposed to the NOM
ination of Secretary Hoover, par
ticularly some of the big interests In
New York. But while there may bt
group of bankers who do not care Tor
Mr.. Hoover, there are very many
bankers who do like him and will
support him.
The prominence which has been
given the Hoover candidacy since the
recent statements of President Cool
idge and Charles Evans Hughes of
New York taking themselves out or
the race has caused further specula'
ton as to the probable nominee of the
Republican party for Vice President If
Mr.. Hoover is to head it's ticket. Rep
resentative Tilson of Connecticut, floor
leader of the House, might well be
placed on the ticket to represent the
East and New England If the nomi-
nation goes to the Far West, 1t is
said. On the other hand, there are
those who put forward both Senator
Curtis of Kansas. Republican leader
of the Senate, and his colleague, Sen
ator Arthur Capper, head of the farm
bloc, on the theory that the agricul-
tural Middle West should be repre-
sented on the ticket and that sup
porter of farm legislation demanded
by many of the farmers in that Sec
ton would strengthen the Republican
ticket.
n
Supporters of Senator Curtis are
taking his candidacy for the presi-
Dental nomination more and more sc.
riously. however, as the field of pos
sibilities" has narrowed There is not
the slightest doubt that with the Pres
ident and Mr.. Hughes definitely out of
the race, as their friends now believe,
Senator Curtis Is going to make a real
effort for the nomination. He is very
popular with the regular or conserva-
tive wing of the party and would be
much more acceptable to many of the