National Affairs: Booms

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More and more openly politicians are developing their strategy for the political campaign of 1924. Mr. Underwood has had his candidacy openly under way for several weeks. Mr. McAdoo has campaigned, not openly, but visibly, for several months. Among the Republicans, President Coolidge has a boom dating from August, and needing no overt expression. Four weeks ago Governor Pinchot picked his issue, without announcing his candidacy, by beginning his attack on the Administration's enforcement of prohibition. Last week a second Republican found his issue—Senator Hiram Johnson of California.

Hiram Johnson. When Secretary Hughes published the fact that the State Department was willing to assist in the appointment of American financial experts to an advisory board to determine Germany's capacity to pay reparations (TIME, Nov. 5), Senator Johnson had his opportunity. Within a week, in a speech at Oakland, he announced his criticism of the Administration—" At last we are a part of the diplomatic game of Europe. We become entangled in this struggle of secret purposes "—and his own platform —"The United States, despite the blandishments of European statesmen or the mawkish appeals of our own, will be neither policeman nor collector abroad."

His speech was followed by an announcement from The Norristown Times-Herald, newspaper of Ralph Beaver Strassburger of Pennsylvania, one of Mr. Johnson's political backers: " It is believed that Senator Johnson will announce his candidacy for the Presidency within the next week, in response to calls being made on him by many Republican leaders.

The "honeymoon," as politicians call the short period immediately following a President's taking office, during which he is immune from criticism, had concluded when Governor Pinchot opened fire on the Coolidge enforcement of prohibition. Senator Johnson naturally did not want to be left behind in the race, once Pinchot had entered. The Hughes note was opportune.

Gifford Pinchot. Once having taken up the issue of prohibition enforcement, Governor Pinchot was careful not to let it drop. He continued to apostrophize Secretary Mellon to the general tenor of, " Oh, why do you not enforce prohibition as I would have it done ?" Mr. Mellon replied in effect: "You have 10-000 city police and 260 state police in Pennsylvania. I have 1,522 officers to enforce prohibition in 48 states and three territories. Eighty-six of my men are in Pennsylvania. In two years and two months they reported 7,142 violations, secured 1,434 convictions, revoked 336 permits, seized 2,425 illicit distilleries, secured fines of $304,064, collected tax penalties of $837,423. What more can you ask in the way of earnest effort?"

But there is no doubt that Mr. Pinchot has not finished with prohibition as an issue. Governor Pat Neff of Texas is a Democrat and a resounding Dry. Mr. Pinchot had expressed admiration of the Texan's broad-brimmed hat. Last week a box reached the capital of Pennsylvania bearing the selfsame hat as a present. Governor Pinchot clapped it on his head, remarking: " My kind of a Republican can wear the hat of his kind of a Democrat."