Evening star., 1927-09-15
pROGRESS|vES GIVE.
WARNING TO c. 0.P..
Vests Regard for Smith So
Construed in ConServa-
tive Ranks.
RY DAVID LAWRENCE.

The interjection of the old-fashioned
Issue of "progressivism,' which has
In one form or another Influenced
many campaign. has developed in the
last few days az an important factor in
th general political situation.
The artainty that the Republicans
will name a conservative satisfactory
to the business interests of the East
has aroused certain Western Republi-
cans. among them Senator Nye of
North Da ,ta, and Senator Norris of
Nebraska. Both men are looking for
ward to an aggressive era in the next
Congress anc an assertion of power.
Norris for Al Smith.
1t is significant that Senator Norris
" quoted recently as saying that
neither wetness nor religion should
bar Gov. Smith from serious consider
alton and that progressivism was far
more important NJ. Norris did not
say that he would support the New
York governor if he was a Democratic
candidate, though it is recalled that
the Nebraska Senate" did not hesitate
to campaign for a Democrat, William
B. Wilson, in the senatorial contest in
Pennsylvania against MIR. Ware.
1t is plain that the progressives re-
gard AL Smith as far more satisfactory
to them tha., any Republican candi-
date from the East. Unless third
party NOV ement is launched to give
the progr essives an opportunity to eN-
press their protest against regular re-
pubiicanism, the inference is being
drawn that Western Republicans of
the progressive type will show their
friendliness to the Democratic nomi-
n if he is a progressive.
Senator Norris toward Gov. Smith
arises from the fact that the New
York governor has been arguing on
the waterpower problem closer to the
point Of view of the Nebraskan SEN
ator than has any Eastern Republi-
can. In other words. men like SEN
ator Norris. who are absolutely dry
on the prohibition issue, are beginning
to regard economic questions as OF
greater importance in the long run.
This is not saying that the drys as
q whole feel that way. as the biggest
opposition toward Al Smiths nomina.
tion comes from those who will not
tolerate his attitude in New York
State toward an enforcement act. If
the New York governor, however,
makes on open pledge to enforce the
law rigidly it will provide way out to
some of the progressives who really
would rather see him IN the Whlte
House than a conservative Republican.
Change I'm Situation.
The entire political situation is
changing rapidly. due to the fact
that men like Secretary Mellon are
taking an active part in choosing the
Republican candidate. While it is true
that former Gov. Lowden has the
friendship of the farm element of the
West, the Progressive Republicans are
not at all sanguine that he can win
the nomination against the combina-
tion of such States as New York.
Pennsylvania and New Jersey and New
England. Indeed the fight between
the conservative East and the radical
or progressive West is coming to a
head in the next Congress and will
leave its imprint on the presidential
situation, too.
Senator Norris Is sufficiently inde-
pendent to support a Democrat if he
feels so inclined, but the general inn
preston at this time Is that he is
speaking favorably of Gov. Smith in
order to warn the Eastern Republi-
cans OF what they might expect IL
they allow big business to dictate the
nomination at the next national con.
xx-~~~.:~hx 1n0SF,