I conventions a hot election campaign and probably probably and the tha th election of or the next president of o the United States The new progressive e bloc headed by Norris and Borah is sure to be b a powerful factor during durin the next con- con congress gress because of the nearly even eYen strength of Republicans and Demo Demo- Democrats Democrate crate in the senate These Thee progressives progressives lives will ill be Republicans but If 11 any ony reactionary legislation is passed over their prostrate forms it will be only with much help helo from the Democratic side of the aisle To a lesser extent the progressives If they hold together may be expected lA to o influence the Republican presidential nomination Everyone E knows that Uncle George thelt their nominal candidate will candidate-will will not be named but it itIs ItIs itis Is likely that their united front will at least prevent nomination of o such men as Coolidge and Hughes whom they regard as reactionaries I I II I Borah's apparent enthusiastic agree agree- agreement agreement ment to accept a generalship in the little progressive army is one of or th the most interesting political developments development to date elate It is regarded as extreme extremely significant by those who will tell you ou that Borah's whole life in recent years yean has been guided by a consuming am am- ambition ambition to attain the presidency It Is 15 hardly fair to assume however that Borah's reasons rea ons for abandoning his splendid Isolation to join the other boys were tinged with guile culle It would be equally fair to suggest that his fellow fel tel fellow tellow low progressives may include among their hopes the possibility that through their efforts Borah might possibly be nominated It is also true however that Borah had been off on a perch of his IsIs own for a long time with no roosting com cons His failure to operate co-operate ag aggressively ag- ag ely gressl with other progressives often inspired their ire and sarcasm Some of them litem regarded him with even more bitterness s than the Republican regulars did for they felt themselves victims of a heart breaking t desertion by their leader whereas to the reg reg- regulars regulars regulars ulars Borah's Borab'S defection was old stuff stun The popular impression that Borah Borab was a B progressive e leader also began to die during the last congress which found round more and more progressive at- at at attention attention being turned to Norris the tho theold theold old war But he lie has now assumed Joint lead lead- leadership leadershIp with Norris In the western senatorial sen zen atonal group and may become the dominant force for Norris Is not a jealous man Insofar as Borah's presidential hopes are concerned the point is that the prospective consolidation of the lie progressives gives him about one chance In ten en thousand of nomina nomina- nomina-I nomina ion tion Before this he has had no chance whatever It II might conceivably conceivably conceivably ably happen that a healthy little group of Norris delegates would be ben beIn bein In n a keystone position at the con con- convention convention assuming terrible deadlocks and all sorts Orts of even more unlikely which would enable it o obtain the nomination of o apro a ve like Borah Borab Obviously Ob Borah's present chance Is only to be distinguished micro micro- microscopically microscopically microscopically from the utter hopelessness of his position a few weeks ago but butone butone butone one finds here who in insist in- in insist slat that Borah had it in mind when he dusted off and donned his old uniform Some of the leading candidates are hound bound to cast cut a longing eye ee toward lA the progressive group hoping for eventual aid at the convention There Theres Is s reason to believe that none of them will wilfully antagonize the western senators during the months that separate us from Irom the Republican convention You never can tell of course about Uncle George Norris who says that the more or less progressive Al Smith would be better than any reactionary Republican But the possibility of a progressive flop nap toward lAward the Democratic Demo Demo- Democratic cratic party does not appear to be ben beIn bein In n the cards cuds Norris campaigned for Wilson the Democrat against Vare the Republican In the Pennsylvania senatorial fight of 1926 But he did not endorse tte In 1924 The Theother Theother Theother other G 0 O. O P P. progressives have hare con Republican records and It Is doubtful If It the party nominee next year will wll be sufficiently reactionary to Incur their open hostility