The Washington times., 1916-06-07


this morning to get into their seats
early and see the gathering OF the
crowds for tho great event In tho
How long have you boer here?"
asked one.
Five days" was the reply; "aud
your"
IAN even week."
what do you. think Of the situation
now"
Just what I thought the first three
hours was In town. can't SEQ where
II has changed IN any essential. What's
your conclusionf'
Exactly the same. I know Just as
much as did when I came here. but
reckon I'm not cutie 20 sure Of it."
That dialogue expressed the feelings
Of the majority Of men making ur this
great history-making gathering. They
were walking down to the conveation
hall e innocent OF real information
about the situation" as they had been
a week earlier.
Yet there had been some developments
eesttHe. BEGINNING OF, Saturday last.
II was current observation that there
never was such nationwide gathering
of newspaper mea, at convention. Tho
ecdented interest in the proceedings.
The greatest crowds every known at
such gathering were generally pre-
BY Monday. however. the tenor OF
these comments had changed. 1t was
beginning to be noted that there was
not so great gathering in the town,
Judging by appearances. as four or
on space In the convention Hobbies. the
hotel Hobbies and concourses, was less
than either four or eight years ago. 1t
was explained that this convention is
beginning on wednesday. whereas the
rule of other years has been to open the
proceeding on Tuesday. Perhaps by
the very eve Of the conventions opening
there would be q temperance of the
overpowering jain that Chicago expects
when convention gets to town.
Not the Jam of Other Years.
But the eve before the formal OPEN
ing arrived and still there was not the
wonted mobbing OF the public gathering
places. There came a realization that
In point Of tumult. noise, music uproar.
all the things that the descriptive
writers aggregate together as ''atmos-
phere" and Excitement" the conven-
ton was not measuring UP to standards
OF other years.
True, 1t was plenty hard enough to
make ones way through the throngs;
there was all the noise necessary to
keep folks from ennui: there was en-
thusiasm of certain sort. But there
was curious absence of the kind OF
vivid, personal. earnest interest In pro-
ceedings that has marked most conven-
tons.
Just one candidate before the gather
ing has been capable of inspiring any
real enthusiasm among his followers.
That one has been Roosevelt; and for
him there are only a few score Of dele
gates In the convention. Never was a
situation like 1t known. This man at
over 10 per cent Of the convention pre-
pared to vote for him on the initial
ballot. has been the center of every dis
cussion. the dominating figure of the
sathering. the huge towering. person
atty He has been the whole "situa-
tion." II II can be said that there has
been a situation: and he has been that
IN the Republican convention, the con-
vention of a party In which he Is not a
member: OF a party that four years
boots.
Roosevelt Potentially.
Yet. whether they liked or hated him.
men were compelled to admit that some
how his was the ruling potentiality.
0ssrything was being talked. planned,
caucused about. figured and tabulated
with reference 10 tnlS man on the OUT
side. It has been true from the begin
ming OF the gathering. and II Is the mos,
remarkable testimony to the power OF
the Roosevelt personality that has evei
been produced from the beginning of his
strenuous political career to this preg.
nant minute.
The Roosevelt personality grips situa-
lions in an unaccountable way.
Four years ago the West was for him
the Fast hostile. That was the general
xuif m tnnu
on both sides. Today the East Is still
hostile, but with another kind of an
taGonism. The East is the scat of the
keenest perception and realization OF
true international problems; and even
men who vow that they would never
vote for Roosevelt, though the heavens
fall. are constantly heard declaring that
he Is Mt this, moment the truest expon.
ent of Americanism, of nationalism. OF
the demand for true realization Of the
national peril. These men ought to be
are not because they cannot forget tn.
old issues. the old bitternesses. the ole
hatreds. the ancient oaths of vengeance
that were sworn -four. years ago on th'
hostility Is too intimate, too persona
to be forgotten even in their realization
of national peril.
People for Roosevelt.
The masses of people In their com
munities have admittedly been won t
the Roosevelt issues of today-the de
mand for a new and adequate nation
alism, an effective readiness to dcfent
the country. But the politicians wit
represent them here. while realizing al
this, cannot stultify themselves-stul
tify is the favorite word they use II
this connection-by the man who fou
wears ago flouted them after they hat
worked their vengeance against him.
In the West the situation reverse
this. The West does not regard tn
war issues" so sravely as does tn
East lunched yesterday with fou
Western friends, three OF whom pro
tested that they were against Roose
Welt because they feared that prepared
ness would lead the country into war
Two of them said they favored bi
navy and reasonable" army, purel,
for defense, but they feared to hav
big navy, a moderate army and Roose
welt all at once lest Roosevelt nigh
be tempted to drag the country int
war for the excitement of using thes
hrobdingnagian tools. ] am certain tina
they were sincere about It, too. On
Western man, himself avowedly on
posed 10 preparedness in the Roosevo lt
ian sense, told nc ~ conversation h
had held a few days ago with bdnke
in his home town out on the grea
prairics. / will not name the State
The banker Is a man of prominence u
his county seat town, q reol influences