The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-06-03

GO INTO ACTION
Both conventions, Republican and
Progressive. will be called to order at
noon on Wednesday next. The Repub-
leans will be at the Coliseum. the
Progrcssives at the Auditorium. the
better fraction Of a mile apart.
At the outset, there will be an ele-
mcnt In each convention that will want
to act entirely Independently OF the 9TH
or.
There are, especially, some leaders
among the Progressives who insist that
the should behave rs II there were no
such institution as the Republican
party. They want the Progressive con-
vention to organize. name committees
nominate a ticket, adopt a platform,
adjourn and 20 home. with absolutely
no reference TO the doings or the Re-
publicans.
In the minds OF these nonconformists
the only procedure Is to name a ticket
and let the Republicans take or leave
II. Some of those who entertain this
view are influential leaders. Nobody
can guess. rs yet. how large a pro-
portion of the whole Progressive gath
ering they will constitute.
But this much Is pretty certain: The
Progressive party has slumped n good
deal from the 100000 votes counted In
1912. II Is reasonable to presume thai
the delegates who come to this years
convention are largely the uncomprom
islng element. the last ditchers.
Can their leaders manage them? Car
the chi,/tains keep them In session
markil n time, while exchanges OF view,
can be conducted between the Pro
gressive managers and the Republican
leaders?
Mere physical patience will become q
factor here. No known gathering IL
quite go mcrcurial and temperanienta
as a national convention. Maybe ar
Irish parliament would be: but at pres
ent there is no Irish parliament. And
OF all the touch and 70 OF polltica
, conventions. a Progressive one Il prob
ably entitled to rank we'll toward thu
top.
Conditions To Be Met.
Very we'll Keeping these psychology
cal aspects In mind, consider now the
conditions to be met. The two conven.
tons must be steered along so thai
neither shall get too far ahead. Neither
must take an irrevocable step till the
other has been committed. through con
sultation and conference. to acceptance
OF that step and It's implications,
low docile will the mass or delegate.
In each convention prove? Flow willinl
will they be 10 surrender thcir poiftica
cow. ctions. futures. and fatCS into tho
keeping OF conferees or steering com
mittees. or whatever you may choose Il
call them?
These are the questions that men are
asking each other just now. The ques
lions that are botherlng managers. ma
tlonal committeeman. leaders OF al
shades and views.
Let me illustrate. Governor Hiram
Johnson of California came to town ant
promptly announced himself In favor o
going ahead, holding thoroughly In
dependent convention, paying no atten
ton to anybody else. and adjournint
when a ticket and platform had beer
made. He was candidate for Vice Presl
dent on the Progressive ticket In 1872
| and is an important figure. No knowing
| how much following he would comman,
| IL he should get on the platform ant
voice his demand for no compromise.
Clifford Pinchot, Too.
Likewise there Is Clifford Pinchot,
seasoned Progressive. He published
| full-page advertisement in the Chicag
Tribune, setting forth In effect tina
while he is In favor OF uniting with tn
Republicans on a program and tickle
that shell represent straight-out Ameri
canism in the present internationa
/ crisis. ne doesn't want the Progressiv
! party to coalesce with the Republican.
He wants Its national and state or
CARNATIONS preserved, In order tina
! IL the Republicans shall go reaction
AIRY" hereafter, on domestic issues IN
| Progressives may be able, after tn
! international crisis, to use their or
| ganization TO compel forward-looktn
legislation OF human Importance.
| This is very similar to the opinio
entertained by Governor Johnson;
the difficulty of composition betwee
the two parties. There is no dout
that men who sincerely want to brin
| about such a measure of unison as
possible at this time are gravely con
cerned lest extremists may tumbl
over the whole kettle of fish.
| II each convention could turn owe
to a steering committee OF FEY
men the business OF "getting, to
steering committee in each case coul
possess the complete confidence of tn
convention behind II: II there coul
be an ample stock of patience to kee
the respective conventions fussin
along until terms were reached. the
the problem would be easier But
that possible?
Nobody Knows.
I don't know. Nobody else doe
Some folks pretend to know. but the
don't.
Each convention comprises widel
differing factions, interests, amb
lions, purposes.
At least one man, who voted fou
ears ago for Roosevelt, will be
candidate with mighty reputab
bunch of support in the Republica
convention next week. He Is Senate
Cummins of Iowa, Alongside him wi
be other candidates and other leadei
to whom the very name OF Rooseve