Preliminaries

The beginning of the great battle of politics, which is scheduled for this Fall, is slow, because the generals are organizing their supplies and preparing their great drives.

The Republicans, during the past week, did the least of all in the way of overt acts. With satisfaction, they watched grain prices, which continued upward, and the favorable quarterly report of the U. S. Steel Corporation. Good conditions in agriculture and the steel industries do not make Republican supporters, but at least such conditions do not make Republican opponents. It is an axiom of politics that the fewer dissatisfied people there are, the better it is for the party in power. That is why the Republicans were pleased.

The Democratic campaign was a little more active in appearance. John W. Davis addressed a letter of thanks to each and every one of the 2,500 delegates and alternates who attended the Democratic Convention. It was a tactful movement, typical of Mr. Davis, and doubtless will help to heal any little wounds still left by the titanic struggle of the Convention. Then, one morning, a pile of baggage suddenly appeared on the steps of the Murray Hill Hotel in Manhattan. At the bottom of the pile was a little pigskin suitcase marked: "J. W. D., New York," signifying that the candidate had returned from his rest in the woods of Maine to activity in the eastern centre. Shortly afterward, he issued a statement giving practical support to his running mate, Charles W. Bryan, who had attacked Defense Day as advocated by President Coolidge (see Page 4).

The Progressive ticket--or, rather, the LaFollette Progressive ticket, as some of those who took part in the Roosevelt Progressive movement object to Mr. LaFollette's appropriation of the name--opened its attack at once. Senator LaFollette issued a statement attacking the Tariff Commission for having spent 18 months in investigating the costs of producing sugar. He charged that the sugar interests were maneuvering for delay. Meanwhile, at Atlantic City, the Railway Brotherhoods and other LaFollette allies were maneuvering to get the support of the American Federation of Labor for the Progressive ticket (see Page 5).

For all political purposes, Candidates LaFollette and Wheeler got the Federation's support.