The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-07-09
WILSON into ROW
President May Take Hand in
Bourbon Fight Here.
He Is DiSpleased With Candi-
dacy of Geo. W. Marble.
CONSIDER IT A DIRECT SLAP
Democrats Considered ThOmp-
son Vote Real Support.
Fort Scott Editor May Be Asked
To Withdraw.

President Woodrow Wilson may
take a hand in the Democrat senator
ial fight. Authoritative information
which has come to Topeka in the last
few days has indicated clearly that
President Wilson was displeased with
the action of George w. Marble of
Fort Scott, when he broke into a Sc
rene senatorial situation just before
the gates closed. There is excellent
grounds for the statement that Marble
is to be asked to withdraw from the
race.
The opposition to Senator William
H. Thompson in the Democrat pri-
maries at this time, is said to be de-
cidedly distastful to the president. 1t
is reliably reported that he was anx-
ious that Kansas Democrats renomi-
nate Senator Thompson without a
party contest. The Bourbon state con-
vention in Topeka. May %, laid the
ground plan for this program. Then
in the final hour for entering the race,
Marble became a candidate without
consulting his leaders or workers.
Thompson Opposed Marble.
Marbles own statement announcing
his candidacy was to the effect that
he sought the defeat of Senator
amin OSity- The Fort Scott editor had
indicated decidedly ruffled feelings
when Senator Thompson expressed a
preference for Henderson S. Martin
for the congressional nomination in
the Second district Marble opposed
Martin Both Marble and Senator
Thompson are residents of the Second
district and Senator Thompson's right
to a personal preference was not Dues
toned by the strong party men CT .he
district.
When Marble jumped into the sena-
torial race, tho, it upset all the plans
of the party leaders. They had planned
the denomination of Senator Thomp-
son without opposition. Now that
Marble is in the race, tho. there is
very strong indication that President
Wilson will in a few days express per-
sOnallY or thru some of his confidants,
desire for the withdrawal of Marble.
4-aRsaS RoUrbOns are in many in
stances putting the Marble can
d.dacy on a plane that threatens COM
plications. They assert that Senator
Thompson voted and voiced the will
of the national administration on every
important war measure. Thus a Dem
ocrat vote against Senator Thompson
IS n party expression of disapproval
of the president and his war policies.
Slap at President.
It is this situation which is said to
have disturbed conditions in Washing
ton the last few days National lead
ers are reported to realize that even
a nominal Marble vote in Kansas
would be construed as a party slap at
the president in other states. Should
by any circumstance the party voters
defeat Senator Thompson or register a
close vote as between the two candi-
dates the situation which would con-
front the national party would be most
distressing. Some of the strong men
in the party in Kansas have even de-
clared that a strong Marble vote might
he used as propaganda in Germany
I'm an attempt to esta blish the argu-
ment that Kansas Democrats in con-
sdera BILE numbers opposed their own
party president and registered a pro-