The Sentinel=record., 1912-06-06
TAFT FORCES
 PLAN FIGHT
WILL OPPOSE RoosEVELT's EFF FORTS TO DUST ROOT FROM
 THE BEGINNING.
Hearing of the Contest over Arkan sas Delegation Has Been Set for Friday Morning-Both Claim
 Early Victory.

Chicago, June 5.-A plan to meet at once the full force of Colonel Roosevelt's fight to control the or | ganiZation of the Republican national convention, by making permanent the temporary organization with Senator Root as chairman was partially agreed upon today by Taft leaders, who are here for the opening ses- sion of the Republican national com mittee tomorrow.
 Control of the national committee l by Taft forces is said by them to be 1 certain. When the committee meets at o'clock tomorrow to organize for l the hearing of contested delegates cases, the Roosevelt forces will not ! attempt either to scot R. B. Howell | of Nebraska, to succeed Acting Chair man Rosewater, or to select Roose- Welt Committeeman as presiding off, cer for the contest hearings
 Fresh from conferences with Colo nel Roosevelt at Oyster Bay, Senator Dixon and National Committeeman il William L. Ward of New York made it clear that the Roosevelt managers were not behind the claim of Mir. Howell to seat on the committee He will endeavor to present his own case, contending that his recent victory in the Nebraska primary entitled him to the place, but members of the com mittee expect speedy decis. .s,a against him.
 The committee will select a sue c- cessor to Chairman John F. Hill of Maine, who died last winter; adopt rules to govern the hearing of the contest cases; decide whether to give publicity to the hearings, and arrange the time to be allotted for each case There are at present more than 23S delegate seats in the convention for which contests have been prepared by either Taft or Roosevelt. The first of the cases will be taken uu Friday morning.
 Senators Crane, Penrose and San ders, who arrived from Washington today, were kept busy canyassing the situation. It is said Taft leaders re- gard at least 35 of the 53 members of the national committee as favor able to the presidents candidacy.
 The ultimatum from Colonel Roose yelt that Senator Root must not be selected as temporary chairman, which was reiterated by Senator Dixon on his arrival in Chicago. was met by a strengthening of the Taft forces in opposition
 The Taft leaders determined not only to adhere to their purpose to seat Senator Root. but to call upon their forces to help make him per- manent chairman of the convention.
 The fight by Roosevelt attorneys for the contested delegates from 1 southern states will include a claim of legality for every convention where they said they had a majority Of the delegates. It is contended that in many cases delegates were kept out of the convention halls where such excluded delegates would have made majority and Colonel Roose- yelts representatives will demand that their conventions be recognized as the regular ones.
 Senator Dixon outlined the Roose- welt program late today. He declared the Roosevelt forces would fight to the last ditch in the effort to over throw Senator Root for tenn porary l
 The Roosevelt manager denied many current stories regarding Colo nel Rooseyelt's plans and asserted that mo statements will come from any source but my office" as to the plans of the Roosevelt forces.
 The vote against Senator Root is part of the moral support which mer pledged to Roosevelt must give ii they are to carry out the spirit of their instructions and pledges" he said
 Believing in the perfect fairness of the members of the national com mittee, we have no fear in resting our contests upon their decision" he added
 As to talk of bolt from the con- vention by the Roosevelt forces he said
 We have control of the convention irrespective of the contested seats so all that kind of talk is junk, " he said
 The Taft leaders exhibited great confidence during the day in their ability to procure scores of so-called Roosevelt delegates for the support of Senator Root when the issue is forced Taft conferences were fol- lowed by the prediction that dele gates from Illinois, Maryland, Kansas Oregon and other states who will vote for Roosevelts nomination will refuse to support his forces in the fight against Senator Root.
 The Taft contest attorneys, Charles Dick and Frederick c. Bryan of Wash ington, gave out today the basis ol the Taft claims in the contest cases from Alabama and Arkansas which !. will be called first by the national ! committee Friday morning.
 P. D. Barker, national committed man, and Pope M Long. state chair man from Alabama; General Powell