The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast time. WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 10th, 1924. DIVIDED PARTIES.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 September 1924, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast time. WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 10th, 1924. DIVIDED PARTIES.

Ir only [lie tun main patties in United States politics, says an exchange, were engaged in the Presidential election, the o'lt -onto of the loute.st would he a

matter <>! nu roiiriTii to tli«* re.st ii|' tlic world. It is fairly certain that either President C'nolidgc. il lie were re-elected. or .Mr .1. \V. Davis, if lie wore elected til succeed .1 ’resit 101 l t ( n'liilito. would li.ivo t In* j-iI;.| <• rt of a Ilia jot iI \ in ( olioic - in iloi i|o| in - 1 1 1 < ■ police of mloi milional io o; erai ion in which the Initial Stairs Inis lately made .some | tooress. President ( imlidite is considered to have rather better pros] eels of re-election than some of the |{cpnhlicnn v’oneressmi n and Senators. 'I lie Kepnldi. ans and Dernoerats. however, are no lon;:er vitally np--1 o-ed in matters of foieipn policy, t nder the |{n]m , :liean prnpiraniine. the I'nited States is to join the World Court, and eo-o; orate in measures ol Kuropean settlement and the limitation of armaments. The Democrats approve this poliey. anil projose in addition that a referendum should he taken on the (|tiestion of joinine the heaeiie of Nations. Probably either a lte| nhliean or Demoeratie President would he supported in followine out the international poliey President Coolidee has laid down. It is not certain, however, that either of file main parlies will he ahle to oive its Presidential nominee the absolute majority in the Electoral College* which is indispensahle to his election. The Itepnlilicans and Democrats each have their stronghold States in which they are aide to reckon confidently on a majority, and in other parts of the Kepnblie, notably the linnneial and industrial centres of the Hast- New York, Connecticut, and

•Yew dei-scy—the President ami his Democratic «»pi»onont are expected to wage a very even contest. There are other States, however, particularly the agricultural States of the West anil .Middle West, and those in which a hie; Labour vote is east, in which it is considered that hotli main paities a--able to suffer heavily under the attach of the Third Party candidate. Senator f.a Folette. Kstimates of the influence this ilisuri'eut Republican is likely to exercise on the result of the Presidential election vary <ousiderahly. As a I’rooresxive Radical, however, he is expected to attract the support of discontented farmers, and his candidature has already been endorsed bribe American Federation of l.ahotir. Members of the La Folette croup accuse both President Cool idee and Mr Davis of beino in sympathy with the views of bio moneyed interests. Their

films lire turned also upon Mr Daws, tho Republican candidate for the VicoPresidenry. Post 1;now for his wml; in the interests of 'Kmopeaii .settlement, Mr Dawes is a hanker identified with a deflationist policy declared by hi.s critics to he responsible for the bankruptcy of innnv American farmers. .Vo one supposes for a moment that Senator f.a Folette will secure a majority. The iplestion raised is whether lie can attract enoiifili support to prevent either of the main party candidates ohtaininfi an absolute majority. If he were successful to that extent, the election of a President would devolve neon the House of Representatives. The possibility is now lieinri discussed that after a close election, fliviufj the main parties nearly equal strength, the House might arrive at a deadlock in the matter of electin'! a President. I’nder the Constitution, the Senate would then he called upon

to pled ;i resident, lmt would lie restricted in its choice to one or other of the two Vice-Presidentinl esmdkhitos placed highest in the |xill. It i.s suggested that if the election of a President devolves upon the foliate, the T«a Folette groan, which holds the balance of power, will combine with the Democrats to elect the Vice-Presidential nominee of that party. Governor Charles V'. Bryan of Nebraska. This, no doubt, i.s an extreme possibility, but it is not out of sight. Though it is definitely a minority, the La Folette roup conceivably may contrive to

throw the (lonie.stic politics of the United States into confusion, nnd to paralyse the present promising development of American foreign policy.