POLITICAL NOTES

At French Lick, Ind., a gentleman, crimson from top to toe, crimson even to his dangling tail, ladles water from a spring. It is a sulphurous, brimstony drink, known as Pluto Water. There, by Pluto's Spring, assembled George E. Brennan, Thomas Taggart and Charles

F. Murphy, each of whom holds the Democratic politics of a state (Illinois, Indiana, New York) securely between thumb and forefinger. They are known to be gentlemen who view with alarm the candidacy of William

G. McAdoo. Mr. Taggart is President of the French Lick Springs Hotel Co.; the charms of the resort --its healthful climate and salubrious waters -- attracted the others. Probably for like reason Ralph Pulitzer, publisher of Manhattan's most virulently Democratic newspaper, The New York World, was also at the watering place.

The joy of an affluent passerby who casts a handful of pennies into the street to watch the urchins scramble is doubtless being tasted on much larger scale by Edward W. Bok, who offered $100,000 for a practical plan for international peace in which the U. S. can participate (TIME, July 9). The deadline for submitting plans brought the contest to a close with 22,165 plans submitted. On the last day over 700 were presented to the Policy Committee of the American Peace Award.

Miss Esther Everett Lape, author, and Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt, wife of the ex-Assistant Secretary of the Navy and erstwhile Democratic candidate for Vice President, sat up until midnight to receive the last plans.

The Committee of Award, chairmanned by Elihu Root and including Brand Whitlock, Colonel Edward M. House, Major General James G. Harbord, William Allen White, has been considering the plans submitted for over a month. Its final decision is to be made about the first of the year. Then a straw vote of the country will be taken on the chosen plan.

Among the plans submitted are known to be:

P: A system of music, based on the theory that harmonious sound is a social agent.

P:"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

P:Birth control and division of wealth.

P:Strict censorship of the press.

Deep and profound remarks were absent from Mr. William G. McAdoo's admission that he would be a candidate for the Democratic Presidential nomination next year. (See page 1.) Nevertheless he delivered himself of some opinions:

" Prospects are elegant for Democratic success all over the country. I congratulate Nebraska on having a Democratic Governor" [Charles E. Bryan, brother of William Jennings, and considered a "favorite son"]. A reporter asked: "Would you support Governor Bryan for the Presidency?"

"I would support any man the Democrats nominate."

"What about Henry Ford?"

" Henry Ford is a perfectly good citizen."

Harvard University has a Republican Club with an Executive Committee of Alumni that bears some famous names: Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, '71; Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., '09; Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Eliot Wadsworth, '98; Louis A. Coolidge, '83, not to mention five Congressmen and the Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Other members are Amory Houghton, '21 (son of Alanson B. Houghton, Ambassador to Germany), and Henry Cabot Lodge, 2nd, '24 (grandson of the Senator). The undergraduate membership of the club is 1,700.

Governor J. C. Walton, under impeachment trial before the State Senate of Oklahoma, was found guilty and removed from office after a sensational trial. As the prosecution was completing its case, the Governor suddenly rose and with his counsel and family left the chamber, saying he was not getting a fair trial. As a result the defense presented no case. He will carry the fight to Federal courts.

On five counts, including receiving bribes, the Governor was acquitted. Six counts were dismissed on motion of the prosecution. On the following eleven counts he was convicted (necessary vote for conviction two-thirds --or 28) :

That he exceeded his pardon and parole powers. Vote 41 to 0.

That he placed his personal chauffeur on the State Health Department payroll, 35 to 6.

That he padded the state payroll, 38 to 3.

That he prevented the assembling of a Grand Jury, 39 to 1.

That he suspended the right to the writ of habeas corpus, 40 to 1.

That he issued a $10,000 deficiency certificate for the State Health Department when no deficiency existed, 37 to 4.

That he issued a deficiency certificate for $4,000 for a state negro orphans' home in order to provide salaries for two negro barbers whom he ordered placed on the payroll of the institution, 40 to 1.

That he attempted to prevent a special state election to be held Oct. 2. 37 to 3.

That he exceeded the legal limit of election expenses, 28 to 13.

That he solicited gifts and contributions for expenses of his office after he was elected. Vote unanimous.

That he is generally incompetent. Vote 36 to 4.