Show Democrats In Congress Are Divided On Tariff Question Seven Certain of Election By 11 ROBERT RODERT 1 T SMALL SIe Special lat u of Standard Standard Copyright 1 lyre 6 ti by Consolidated Press Association WASHINGTON April A 10 10 great political controversy Is la In progress here at the national national- national cap cap- capItal capital cap capital ital It bas has to do with whether or not the Democrats have an issue for the coming the campaign campaign fight for or the control of ot congress Opinion Is somewhat somewhat divided to say eay the least There Is a 11 pretty fair consensus ot of o opinion however that the Democrats have ha not made all that they might have made out or of orthe the present session of ot congress Their councils have Ilao been divided Representative of at one of ot the most stalwart oC ot the thesta sta stalwart art Republicans made the charge a day or two ago that more than one half of ot the Democratic members of congress are commit commit- committed committed committed ted to the protective tariff principle principle principle Yet one finds Representative Oldfield of ot Arkansas chairman or of orthe the Democratic congressional campaign cam cam- campaign committee issuing statements to the effect that the tariff and nothing but the tariff shall be the great issue ot of the coming battle bathe with the hosts ot of o protection FORCED REDUCTION Clem Shaver Shayer of ot West Virginia who persists as chairman or of o the Democratic national committee In Insists lIsts elate that the Democrats have a wonderful Issue in the tact fact l lct ct that they forced further urther tax lax reductions than the Coolidge administration planned He also made an Issue issue- of the tariff commission investigation investigation tion lIon charging the president has been guilty 0 of Intimidating and coercing In appointing members of the commission The whole truth of at the matter Is the Democrats have not wanted to raise any general Issue They have havo felt elt from rom the very beginning that their chances In the coming cam earn campaign would be In matching per per- personality per personality against personality and fighting each district and senatorial senatorial rial vial campaign virtually on a per per- personal personal per personal basis It has been realized that the Democracy has not done doneso doneso doneso so very well In recent national campaigns supposedly Sought fought out outon outon outon I on national Issues The Democrats have in effect been taking a leaf lea from the book or of President Coolidge In any event ent they have been talking about that lea leaf They have wanted to emulate Brer Brer Drel Fox and lay low Brer Fox however had the added advantage of ot not saying minds the Many of at the best In Democratic party have been advis advis- advisIng advising advising ing their friends In congress to just go along for tor the time being and to let the congressional and andsen senatorial sen fights tights turn as largely as possible upon personalities and local lo- lo local lo local cal Issues DRIVE E ON COOLIDGE Some Democrats have balked at this advice They have e thought tt It would be better to belabor Coolidge Cool Cool- CoolIdge Idge They say they have sensed a slackening in the Coolidge popularity popularity popularity larity and think now is the time lime tomake to tomake tomake make a drive against him Others have ha wanted to tall fall all back upon the worn time tariff the worn time controversY believing they might attract a lotof lot lotof ot of progressive Republicans to the Democratic standard by attacking the time old G 0 P- P P policy ot of o pro pro- protection protection pro protection When all Is said and done never never- nevertheless It will be bo found toward the end of the session that the Demo Demo- Democratic Democratic Democratic cratic party as a whole has been rather Tather well satisfied to let the Republicans Re- Re Republicans Re Republicans publicans just rock along In the belle belief that a war of attrition at the polls In November Is better than a general assault which might bring counter attacks and not get any any- anywhere anywhere where In particular The Republicans are arc Inclined to taunt their Democratic brothers on the lack of ot a national issue but just the same this very lack Is proving ing worrisome It is exceedingly difficult to meet an unorganized campaign and If it ever there was wa an unorganized campaign the Democrats Demo Demo- Democrats Democrats have It It WANT TARIFF FIGHT The Republicans would welcome an old time tariff tight It has proved their shield and shelter tor many a long year The G 0 P PIs Is always willing to fight tight for the tariff In n an era of ot prosperity They I claim that all of ot virtually our pros pros- prosperity prosperity today Is due to the tariff The Democrats on the other hand are asserting that the only way to collect the foreign war debts Is tariff to remove a large part of ot the tar iff and let foreign orel n goods come In to our markets The Republicans say this would bring about unemployment unemployment unemployment ment ment and ana ruin to Industries at al home and the foreign debt would I Ibe be collected at far too loo a price The older and wiser heads of o the Democracy probably will l win their desire for or local attacks all the line rather than a general as- as assault assault as assault sault The senatorial situation it h particularly bothersome to the G O 0 P because the Republicans Republican know they cannot possibly possibly- win A seat In the coming elections for tor up there are only seven Democrats up for re re and each one Is In to a certain The Republicans Re- Re Republicans Re publicans publicans- publicans have babe bave quite a few ew ticklish senatorial situations confronting them and they hey did not like the idea o of Democratic gains being blazoned to the world the tho morning after acter the I next general election on |