New-York tribune., 1911-12-12
TAFT WINS FIRST
MOVE IN CAMPAIGN
His Friends to Dominate Com.
mittee of Arrangements for
Convention, Though Fight
Was Made.
TROUBLE CAME FROM SOUTH
Hitchcock Was Credited with
Backing Movement to Keep
Captain New from the
Steering Job, but
Denied It.

Steering Job, but
Denied It.
Washington. Dec. ia difference
which was not free from bitterness de-
vsloped to-day over the proposition 70
make CAPTAIN Harry s. New, nstiopal
committeeman from Indiana, chairman
NJ the committee on arrangements Tor
,h. raxt national convention. There arc
few men in the Republican Organization
who have lad more experience than
Cantain New. and it was supposed there
would be no objection 20 his selection
for place for which he Is pre-emi-
nently qualified.
The situation. however, cleared late
I'm tho evening At tho President
dinner to the committeeman there was
no open discussion of politics But u
became known Immediately after tns
diners had adjourned that Secretary
Hilles and other supporters OF PRESIDENT
Taft had won complete victory and
that Captain New undoubtedly would
head the subcommittee on arrange
ments.
Taft Men in Full Control.
II also was evident that the TAFT
forces would control the entire member
ship Of the subcommittee and that the
slate for the subcommittee OF nve m
cluded in addition to Captain New, Ma
tional committeeman Mulvane, OF Kan
sos Vorys of Ohio. Murphy OF New Jer-
ssv and Williams, Of Oregon. All OF
those men are known TO be friendly TO
President Taft. n. {. Duncan, commit
teeman of North Carolina, may be added
as a sixth member Of the Subcommittee
The opposition appeared 10 grow from
an impression that Mr.. New did not
treat the Southern members Of the com
mittee with due consideration in the dis
tribution Of tickets 10 the last conVen-
tion The Postmaster General took par.
in the conferences to-day, and II is said
bv those who opposed Mr.. New that Mr.
Hitchcock shares their opposition
Mr. Hitchcock ma this formal state
ment:
statements which would indicate thai
there is friction between Mr Hhiss auu
nvself are absolutely unfounded My res
lignation as chairman OF the nauonal con-
mittee was rendered in good talth on lhe
day that | was confirmed a t9stHdstct
| General and from trat time 10 this ! nave
| refrained from participation IN the audi,s
of the committee. l have all that can 20
at present 10 look after the business OF ~.
department, and do not wish 10 be draNn
into any controversy respecting national
politics.
r.s. Nj ~ WbiAs House Talk,
After the matter had been discussed
in small groups all day ten members OF
the national committee gathered late
this afternoon I'm the Presidents once.
the President himself being absent. ana
discussed the matter for some tlme' put
came TO no decision. Those who par
ticipated in this conference were Messrs.
Hitchcock. Nagel. Penrose. Crane. HILL
Brooker, Lowden. Norys and Hayward.
Secretary Hilles was also present
When the conference was over Messrs'
Hu (of Mane), Lowden and Brooker
uent over 10 the White House, where
they found the President and sought TO
ob,ain from him some indication OF his
preference.
Mr.. Taft declined to give any such in
dication. He said that this seemed 10
him properly a matter for the national
committee TO decide for itself, and thahf
he purposed 10 keep out OF II.
Members of the committee from mo
| southern States met early In the Gay
ostensibly 10 take measures or sen-pro,
lection against any attempt In the next
convention to reduce their representa-
tion. A motion was adopted authorizing
General Powell Clayton. OF Arkansas
vho acted as chairman. TO name COM
,,,ittee of five 10 devise the method ana
provide the sinews 10 fight any moVe-
ment made 70 curtail the Southern dele-
| cations At the conference also, r. C
Duncan. the member from North Caro-
lima. was indorsed for membership on tho
executive committee.
After this formal business had been
transacted several members made I'M
passioned speeches advocating opposi-
tion to preferment for any position OF
power of a man who had been a MEM
her OF a state delegation that had voted
! solidly in the convention OF l3oS TO re-
duce the representation Of the Southern
States. II was recognized that Mr.. New
was meant by this Characterization,
although after the meeting several MEM
bers reported that Mr.. News name had
not been mentioned. which was probably
true.
Ohio Situation Discussed.
Arthur |. Vorys and Walter Brown
! .ront MANY hours together again to-day
discussing the Brown primary PROPOSE
ton When pressed for definite cN-
PLANTATION of his scheme Mr. Brown adj
mitted that in the final analysis the
whole question would rest ultimately
with the state Supervisor OF Elections,
who is a Democrat He would have 10
decide. even il the call were issued, as
desired by Mr.. Brown, whether there
should be a Presidential primary In
Ohio. When this fact became known
the members of the committee showed
more disnclination than ever To adopt
the Brown scheme.
only three members OF the national
committee failed TO attend the dinner
AT the White House tonight. either In
person or by proxy. These were William
IT,. Ward, of New York who, although
I'm the city. sent his regrets; MIR. Stur-
,.,.o,. IN Ia detained az hOma