FOR WANT OF A NAIL

One vote may seem very trifling, yet to Colonel William A. Gaston it means the loss of a senatorship. In 1916, by voting against. Wilson and since then by consistent opposition to Wilsonian policies which are still one of the textbooks of Democracy, he has brought upon himself complete repudiation by the Democratic National organization. Not an out and out repudiation, but a fatal negation of encouragement.

Before the September primaries, it was planned to make Massachusetts a fall stamping-ground for the Democratic high-lights. "Pat" Harrison, the spell-binder from Mississippi, was coming and other notables. They wanted to defeat Senator Lodge and taste the sweets of revenge, and they wanted to give ex-President Wilson balm for his suffering. But, instead of a Wilson supporter, Colonel Gaston was nominated; the Democrats abandoned their pa and along with them thoughts of "Der Tag".

Colonel Gaston represents the same interests as Senator Lodge, he agrees with Lodge on the League of Nations, the Bonus, Prohibition, on every vital question of the day. The sole difference is that he is a Democrat and Lodge is a Republican. The result of this unanimity is a complete falling-off of interest, apparently by both voters and candidates. A campaign that promised to be epochal has turned out a disappointing fizzle.

If Whipple had defeated Gaston for the nomination, it is possible he would have been elected. In the Republican primaries Democratic interests, the League of Nations and all, were almost perfectly represented by Mr. Joseph Walker. He polled 70,000 votes, which were a third of Senator Lodge's 210,000 and two-fifths of the total Democratic 170,000. In the November elections, the 70,000 pro-League Independents voting for Walker would vote for a pro-League Democratic nominee. These 70,000 votes added to the Democratic poll of 170,000 would defeat Lodge. But the Democratic candidate is not pro-League, and he will not get the 70,000 votes. Nor will Lodge, for the pro-League independents, having no interest in the election, may not vote at all. Consequently, unless the issues are changed radically between now and election time, we may expect a Lodge victory by the ratios that prevailed in the primaries--21 to 17.