The Press Tuesday, June 8, 1920. The Presidential Election.
Before the war tho American Presidential campaign 'was to the outside world not much more than a very interesting yppctaclo. It did not appbar to touch any issues of real concern to the countries outside America, and, indeed, i£ really was of concern only to the Americans themselves—a purely American affair. The campaign which, is now opening—it formally begins when the two main parties choose thoir candidates. as they will do at the National Conventions this month—is in some rofipccts likely to be very different indeed from the campaigns of the past, inasmuch as it may turn upon issues that concern the whole world. The ratification of the Poaco Treaty is the chief ; of these issues, but it is too early to say that the Treaty, and the questions arising out of it, will completely dominate the campaign. For the present the main parties are going about their business as if there would as usual be a direct contest between a plain Republican and a plain Democrat, but it is considered possible that there may be a third candidate with a large chance of success. Both the main parties are divided. The Democrats are not united in support of tho President's demand for the ratification of the Treaty without reservations, and the party is in tho unhappy position of having no outstanding ipan to succeed Mr Wilson in thd leadership. The Republicans have for some years been divided into Progressives and Conservatives, and there is a further division between the East and the "West, the "West standing firmly against the Treaty, which the Easterners' sire willing to accept with reservations. The regular R-epublicans have a candidate. in General Leonard "Wood, who may be described as Conservative and militarist, and the Progressives have a possible leader in Senator Hiram Johnson, of California. There are always a large number of possible candidates on either side, but General "Wood and Senator Johnson were regarded as tho strongest Republicans in sight until the Hoover boom commenced. The candidature of Mr Hoover, known the world over as the Food Controller, was launched by the Democratic "New York "World," bnt Mr Hoover has declared himself a Progressive Republican. He is disliked by the old guard in each party—by tho Democrats because he is a Republican and bccause he has lived practically his whole life abroad, and by the Republicans because he endorsed Mr "Wilson s appeal for a Democratic Congress in 1918, and has been closely affiliated with the "Wilson policies. In some quarters it is believed that Mr Hoover's •candidature appeals to the American imagination and will unite in one party a vast multitude of people who are weary of the old party labels, and eager io support a man with ideals. That is to say, there is a widespread belief that Mr Hoover could succeed as a Third Party candidate. The forces arrayed against him in the event of his appearance, in that role will be numerous and I powerful. The political machinery of the party bosses will be reinforced by .11 those elements which are either antiBritish or opposed to the League of Nations. It is expected that he will not bo warmly supported by Labour, and tho farmers are believed to bo hostile to him. for his policy of food control. But it is his identification with the policy of bringing America to take ail active interest in the concerns of tho Old "World that will decide his fate ono way or the other if his candidature docs not fall through. A vast number of " straight Americans" will make this the test question, but a number, perhaps equally large, of "foreign" Americans will also do so, and they will vote as foreigners rather than as Americans. One lead&y-; Democrat has declared, in-
deed, that the election will be decided not by American votes on American policies, but by foreign votes on foreign policies. "The foreign voters of six . "Middle Western States," lie said, " concerned only -with, conflicts among " tlieir mother foreign lands and m "nowise concerned with tho United " States or its policies, will swing tho " election. Thus neither Democratic " nor Republican policies for the United •'.States will win the race. Foreigners " in the United States on foreign issues "will lie the victors." This is a, heightened way of stating the fact that differentiates the present from past conte&tp, namely, that it will be f.'ery largely a contest over foreign policy. And this, of course, most docply concerns the whole world.
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Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16855, 8 June 1920, Page 6
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758The Press Tuesday, June 8, 1920. The Presidential Election. Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16855, 8 June 1920, Page 6
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