The Detroit times., 1912-06-17
TAFT Def SHIFTS
FIGHT TO CONVENTION
tcontinued from Page one)


pronounces the opening benediction.
Should the Taft men be able, by force
OF numbers, TO put through their or
ganiZation a double convention in the
same hall is certain. Col. Roosevelt
having approved. the Roosevelt lead
ers are ready for a fight even though
II involves physical force, and they
will be confronted by a compact fight
ing phalanx from the Taft camp, de-
termined that their apparent control
shall, not be overturned.
Many leaders fear bloodshed and
broken heads N the present situation
Is not relieved by compromise. The
Roosevelt men declare the temporary
roll will never be read. The Taft
leaders. through Chairman Victor
Rosewater, OF the national committee,
say that il will be read as prepared,
and they say IL force is attempted to
prevent the convention proceeding in
an orderly manner that they will call
on the police TO eject the "disturbers"
from the hall
Just let them try IT, was all that
the Roosevelt men would say. The
determination expressed In their de-
nieanor indicated that they would not
leave without fight.
Claims and rumors of assertions
from the Taft camp continued to fill
the air today Lusty.lunged mega
phone men. wearing flaming Roose-
Welt badges, passed back and forth
through the crowds, crying aloud the
names Of men who. they said. had
signed pledges repudiating the presi-
dent and declaring for Roosevelt.
Some OF these were true. But in
many instances the claim Of desertion
had no sooner been, made than the
Taft leaders were out with denial.
The big delegation from KinN
county. New York. has been the sub
ject of much comment. Timothy
Woodruff in announcing that he had
burned his bridges behind him and
was now In the Roosevelt camp, In
sisted that 16 other delegates would
go over with him. To Offset this Taft
men displayed signatures of all but
three OF this county delegation, insist
ing that Woodruff meant only sim
gle vote and that all of the others
were for Taft.
Letters were produced by the Roose-
Welt forces late yesterday showing
that FIVE delegates from Georgia and
FIVE from Mississippi. supposed to be
! sold for Taft, had signed letters set
. ting forth that they would support
. Roosevelt
The Taft margin so far as the con-
| troll OF the convention and the votes
| for the denomination are concerned,
10 uncomfortaby close. The defec-
ton OF a score of delegates would I'M
doubtedly deadlock the convention.
Even the presidents warmest admir-
ers admit that he must be nominated
on the initial ballot or not at all. The
Roosevelt, Cummins and LaFollette
camps will vote a sa unit against the
Taft forces on many OF the things
| that will come up in connection with
| the temporary organization. And In
order TO retain control throughout the
convention the Taft men must hold
1 the reins from the very start.
Insisting that they had their dele
gates so firmly fixed that only a scat
tering few would desert the Taft
leaders were admittedly worried.
They feared the effect of Col. Roose-
\ velt's personality on wavering dele
gates who wanted to be with the win
ner no matter who he might be.
Whenever the Taft leaders heard OF
one OF their men passing under the
Roosevelt influence-and they main
tanned a secret service that would
have Scotland Yard proud. a Taft
man close to the particular delegate
was sent TO get in touch with him
and find II he was still "all right"
Commenting on the California fight,
Gov. Johnson declared today that
California will not submit to rob
berry" of any OF the fruits OF Roose-
yelt's victory there.
These two delegates are in the I'M
| speakable category that cannot be rec
ognized by decent men," Johnson as
serted We will not stand for a
crooked temporary roll. That roll
must be purged OF its fraud before
decent Republicans can participate in