Politics

As yet, the political side of the World Court issue is largely confined to agitation within the Republican party. It is too early to classify the opinions of the party as a whole--all shades of opinion are to be found. There is no open break as yet between the President and any faction over the Court issue. Reports continue to say that the President will press the issue. Senator Watson and others are opposed to his doing so--largely, it is assumed, in fear of the consequences in the elections of 1924. Senator Hiram Johnson is expected to lead the isolationists in a fight "against the Court at any cost." Senator Capper of Kansas (a farm bloc leader) says that the farmers are "for" the Court. Senator Borah declares that the proposal is "ineffectual." Senator Pepper believes that it is time to "go beyond" the Court and accept the League with modifications." Senator Lodge, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, is lukewarm. As to the Democrats, it is expected that they may back the President's proposal as the best measure practical at the present time. Senator Carter Glass of Virginia (a former member of the Wilson cabinet) expressed this as his intention. It is equally possible that the Democrats may take the opposite course, if the Republicans try to pass the Court proposal with reservations. Ex-President Wilson in a letter to the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Committee declared: " I approve not of the conditional but of the unconditional adhesion of the United States to the World Court." Meanwhile Mr. Harding is reported to be embarrassed by the early announcement of his candidacy in 1924. He may even abandon his contemplated speaking tour of the country (in which he was expected to advocate the Court), if it appears that he will have to come before the country not as the president of the United States but as a campaigning candidate.