The sun., 1916-09-12
OLD GUARD IN OPEN
WAR UPON WILCOX
Crane and SmOOt Will Take
Up Grievances With Mr..
Hughes To-day.

, With the return here tomorrow OF
Charles T.. Hughes from his first swing
around the circle the Republican political
pot will begin to boil. The indications
are that Mr.. Hughes. in the six days he
will spend in New York before taking the
road again. will have his hands full In
settling differences that have arisen with
respect to the Republican campaign and
in establishing definitely the position
which some of the elements In the party
are to have from now on in it's affairs.
W. Murray Crane OF Massachusetts.
Senator Smoo of Utah and other leaders
OF the socalled Old Guard element are re-
ported to be dissatisfied with the manner
In which the campaign has proceeded.
Unsuccessful in getting Chairman Will
cox to accept their views, they are said to
be planning to reach Mr.. Hughes and i'm.
press him with their criticisms.
Centention Of Old Guard.
The Old Guard element is said to AXE
the view that Chairman Wilcox has not
managed the campaign in the business
like way that has characterized Republic
can battles in the past, and hat to insure
Ss'bupiiedu suCterS III november tntT0
should be a reorganization in the CAM
patsn management which would give
them mere Of a voice in the running Of
things thar they have had thug far.
Whether they lave gone so far as to
suggest the retirement Of Chairman Will
cox Is not known. but at any rate things
nave not suited them and they are COM
planning OF Mr.. willcox's management.
On the other hand. Frank II. Witch
COCK. George W. Perkins and Alvin r.
tlert. manager Of the Chicago head
quarters. 1t was learned yesterday. have
decided to stand firmly behind Mr.. Will
cox and to resist the Crane-Smoot
element ut all hazards. What is more.
they have in this the backing Of Col.
Roosevelt. whose voice in campaign mat
tiers is daily becoming more potent.
Other Leaders ON the Way.
Both Mr.. Crane and Senator Smoot
are to arrive here to-day. In the next
few days many other Republican leaders
are to be here and go over the situation.
among them Representative Slemp of
virginia, chairman of the committee on
speakers Of the Republican, Congress
sional committee Charles q. Dawes. the
Chicago banker. who is a member Of the
new advisory committee, and Senator
Fail Of New Mexico.
The Republican Congressional Com
mittee is cooperating with the National
Committee. but II Is controlled by the
Old Guard element more or less and Mr..
Slemp and other members OF the com
mittee are reported to be In sympathy
with the attitude OF Mr.. Crane.
As a matter OF fact. the present situa-
ton largely turns about Hitchcock. The
Crane-Smoot followers have been ben,
owe, since the Chicago convention IN
keeping him out Of the campaign. They
did succeed in keeping him from being
made she Western manager. ~: Chair
man Wilcox named for that job A. r
Hert OF Kentucky. Hitchcock's friend. sc
that the Old Guard leaders could s~cpacely
hail his as a victory.
None on Advisory Committee.
But their worst etback came when In
spite OF their protests the new advisory
committee was found TO include Hitch.
cock among it's members. while not a
single representative OF their faction go
a place on II.
since his turn OF affairs, complaint,
sabout the infringement of the campaigI
have become louder in Old Guard circles
coupled with talk about putting the stu
alton right UP To Mr.. Hughes.
The trip Of Messrs. Hitchcock and Per
kins to oyster Bay on Thursday VA
made FOR the purpose. among othe
things. of fcqualnting the Colonel will
his situation. Col. Roosevelt has no
believed in mixing in much with tn,
management Of the campaign. but h
naturally Is opposed To seeing Messr-
Crane and Smoot walk away with an,
honors In II. Hence the fact that he /
standing with Hitchcock. Perkins an,
Hert is opposing any interference wit
Mr.. Wilcox on the part OF this fac
ton.