The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-01-17
Roosevelt and Straus Back
Colby and Perkins's
Stand.
RIPPING STATEMENT
4 FROM PROGRESSIVES
Demand Made That Whole
Republican National
Committee Act.

Unless the Republican National Com. !
mittee in dennite and unequlvocal terms |
repudiates and remedies the action taken !
last Monday by Its executive Committee !
the schisin that led the Progressives to
break from the g. o. p. in 1912 promises
10 have n renewal. In an ultimatuin de- !
livered yesterday by George W. Perkins.
indorsed by his fellow Moose leaders \
and which gained the inprimatur ot Col.
Roosevelt last night, this warning was
conveyed to the Old Guard leaders of the
Gspubiean inner circle.
Eep.ntant and frightened were the
Hemenvay forces yesterday morning
when they surveyed the wrecksgc nf
political harmony resultant on their coup
which elected John T. Adams Of Iowa
to the position of vice-chairman, and
which put Cornelius n. Bliss, Jr., and
Adams in practical mastery Of Republic
csn finances and publicity
Perkinss brief first statement con-
deninins their procedure drove them to
nasty efforts to amend their course.
They tried TO placate the furious Pro.
ercssves with An ambiguous promise to
give them place in the Il. @. y. coun-
oils With this over, they felt that their
best interests would be served by at
tempting no further work. Within g few
hours they became apprised in another
Perkins statement that they simply had
compounded their mistakes.
whole Com mittee Raked.
This new statement from Perkins
raked the whole executive committee In
broadside and then selected each OF
Them as targets for individual volleys
Everything done behind the closed doors
IN the committees meeting. said Perkins
was planned to give the power OF the
nsrty 20 small coterie. 1t was done.
30. he asserted. without WARRANT and In
the face of n direct threat conveyed to
them that n breach between the MEM
hers Of the political entente would re-
.u.t Back Of the whole machinery, in
sisted Perkins. was a scheme to force
William II. Wilcox to quit as national
chairman.
Murray Crane was tine genius who
selected the men for Mondays work. he
charged. and the plot was carried
through with the connNanee Of william
Barnes. Jr.. James H. Hemenway Of
Indiana, William II. Cfocker Of Call.
fornia and others. This brought Perkins
TO dissection OF the worth Of various
individuals. He put upon the men re-
sponsible for the appointment OF Adams
and the curtailmelt of Willcox's control
the blame for the defeat OF Charles Il.
Hughes last November.
In conclusion he said that il is Use
ies7 to hope for party victory or, for
fruitful results under regime such as
was represented IN the executive CONF
mittee. Therefore il s up TO the Repub-
lean National Committee to undo the
work that so quickly was productive OF
the estrangement between the hitherto
allies
Discussion OF the resolution that had
been the outcome OF the committed q
morning meeting-the resolution that
vas adopted for notification purposes,
brought this reply from Perkins:
Give my compliments to Mr.. Hemen-
way and say l regard that resolution as
scrap Of paper"
Gets Colenel's Approval.
Republican leaders tried to delude
themselves that Perkins and Colby in
their statement simply were slvins
voice TO their own sentiments. However
Roosevelt In Sycamore Hill.
Il heartily approve OF what Messrs
Perkins and Colby have done. ] think
they have rendered a great service tc
the American people and the Republican
party"
Before this the following had been re.
ctived from Chester II. Rowell OF Cali.
fornla:
THE West is with YOU in denan dinl
unconditional and rea! recognition and
The reputation of their blum. II q
means fight We are ready for it."
oscar Straus. chairman OF Tho Public
Service Commission, was one OF tn
quests at Chairman Willcox's dinner u
The executive committee in Delmonico'
or Monday night. He left the table i'm
nediatev he heard that PeTkine An,
'o.1y had protested the committees se!ec
no. of Adams.
Wilcox was caught in tangle o
emotions yesterday He had been told b.
Perkins when he refused to attend tn
dinner that he--Wi,loOx-hsd bee
anrontel by the executive committee
A'lioH Up 10 late last night the chair
nan still was unable 10 ind the sctus
'h'0rt. The Perkins statement elaine
nat his hands had been tied by the NJ
continent OF Adams and Bliss. with him
sell 10 have charge of publicity an
nance Yet he had voted for the resC
iicon which put them on the suo.con
.n!i'ee with him.
pne point is certain: the Old Guar
',e march on Wilcox and appfOpr
,'d iitc executive "uiunItt-es ms6tih
- "ir own purpns"-. In senhiEs ~
'' 1H or the meeting the ch1irinn
a.F - -p"cifn 'caHIa fD- the sss.inDt'
TAere were certain routine matters III
tnrt.u..rf NJ, fs.ffh Ysd1r