New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-30
Twice Admirers Attempt
TO Carry Roosevelt on
Their Shoulders.
CHICAGO SWEPT
BY ENTHUSIASM
Sentiment Beginning to Affe~
Old Guard Leaders-Signs
of Wavering.
Iron a STAT corrrro,d.-t q, ne Tribune. !

Iron star Corrvponden, o. he Trinune.l
Chicago. May 20 Chicago is "T r.
crazy" and took every possible means
70 show il in the four hours Colonel
Roosevelt spent here to-day on his way
70 Kansas City 10 deliver a Memorial
Day address. It swarmed around him
at the station, followed his auto in
droves. blocked the way into the hotel,
besieged his door there and finally fol-
lowed him back 10 his train. His short
trips through the streets were made to
the tune Of constant cheers and all
this in a drilling rain.
Twice the crowds tried TO pick the
Colonel up and carry him on its shout
ders, but il had not chosen big enough
men for the Job. The Colonel was
fairly hoisted off his feet, but that was
as far as they could get him. As he
moved down the platform the train
crews crowded forward to shake hands,
station men mixed in the melee and
enthusiastic citizens lost part of their
clothing in efforts to reach him.
Colonel Roosevelt entered upon con-
ferences with Progressive party leaders
as soon as he had reached his rooms in
the hotel. Among these were Chief
Justice Olson of the Chicago Municipal
Court, recently a candidate for the Re
publican nomination for Mayor, and
Raymond Robins, who will be tempo
rary chairman of the Progressive Ma
tional Convention.
II had been hoped Colonel Roosevelt
would make some comment on the Geri
man-Americans who have been attempt
ing to influence the convention against
him or reply TO Mr.. Hilles's statement
of yesterday, but he refused to do so.
He did take a shot at the pacifsts.
Preparedness Argument.
"They say that preparedness invites
war" he remarked. "Of course there
are nations that prepare for the pur-
pose Of going 60 war. and there have
been some wars that would not have
been fought if the nations had not
been prepared. In Just the same way
there would be no forgery committed
If men didn't know how to write. II is
Just as sensible TO say that we will
abolish forgery by not teaching writing
as TO say that the country must not
prepare for war"
The whole city is cheering for the
Colonel, and the convention next week
will meet in an atmosphere that is
overwhelmingly Rooseveltan unless
enthusiasm for some one else can be
imported.
There have been attempts already TO
import such enthusiasm for dozen
different men, but all have failed. At
the Root headquarters only forlorn
show Of activity is being made and
there is neither Hughes headquarters
nor Hughes enthusiasm, though Hitch
cock is trying to supply both.
Reports here are that there Is
Hughes sentiment down state, but so
far none of it has reached this city.
There is noticeable change in the
"peace terms" which are being suggest
ed by the representatives of the "old
guard" They have now come TO the
point where they are ready to give
Roosevelt anything but the nomination.
Platform, candidate, campaign shall
be under his direction if only he will
not insist on running himself. The cold
guard" still maintains that il has the
delegates to prevent the Colonel from
running away with the nomination, but
il is less and less anxious to have its
control put to the test
Sentiment Affecting Leaders.
At the same time the great sweep
of Roosevelt sentiment is affecting the
leaders. Those who are not personally
bitter are leaning are even
wavering They want 10 win, and the
REPORTS from the men reaching here
are almost unanimous that Roosevelt
would be the strongest man that could
be named. AS result, all are careful
to explain that they are not against
the Colonel they simply prefer some
one else. But they want to wait till
/ the last minute to see just what the
/ delegates say, before committing them
| selves.
This does not mean that there is
| much danger of Mr.. Roosevelt running
away with the convention. The dele
/ gates have been too carefully picked
| for that. But it does mean that among
the leaders all who are not ready to
/ risk defeat for the sake of beating the
Colonel, all who do not want 70 lad
minister discipline" or put him on
probation" are seriously considering
/ whether the Colonel does not offer the
/ safest and surest road TO victory in
/ Novenb Der.
Colonel Roosevelt left here at s:05
/ tonight over the Santa Fe for Kansas
| City. During his visit he received a
/ constant string Of callers, including a
/ delegation from the Illinois summer
training emp, to whom he spoke on
the democracy Of the dog tent. He
dined with o. X. Davis, who is in
charge of one of the Roosevelt head
quarters here, and caught his train, as
usual, in rush.