The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-07-25
R. 2 TO RUN
in 1920 SAYS
GIL GARDNER
Personal Press Agent and Friend
of Colonel Makes the
Announcement
HAS BEEN GOOD GUEssER
Famous Correspondents Previ.
Gus Predictions Have
Worked Out
BY GiLsoN GARDNER.
N. e. A. Staff Correspo nd ent.

Washington, July, .25.-The prom
fnent part played by former Presiden
Roosevelt at the recent New Yorl
state convention has started jnauiI
les as to whether Roosevelt is to fle
ure again as a candidate.
It is my guess that he WILL fgnr'
again, probably as a republican presi
dental candidate in 1920.
Col Roosevelt's attitude toward tn,
presidential situation was set fortl
in an interview had with him sever
al weeks ago
At that time heHstated frankly tha
he was not interested in the pr3s;den
tial office, but is interested in forward
ing certain policies which he re
CARDS as important.
Win the War Now.
The winning of the war is, D
course, the first of these '.r@
He believes that 1t is no time It
think in political terms. His attitul
Is best. expressed In his own word
delivered at the, recent Saratoga con
vention. where he said: r.. ~.
Everything We do now and every
thing we say must help win the war
The president has said. Politics is ad
journed.' He is certainly right, in 81
far as politics is to be used for per
sonal ends or party triumph
But, popular government, even II
war must be carried on by parties
Party organization Of public opin;ol
may be the best way 10 secure need
ed government action. That is th
present case.
"The nation needs the republican
party to give popular expression to a!
affirmative aggressive war policy. II
success at the polls in November wi!
spur the administration to adopt one
A republican congress viii! enact lee
islatiOn to initiate and carry j
on. &" -
1--WE are not; now con .ernel viii
the national election of 1920. Tha
may take care of itself. It's outcome
will depend on circumstances whicl
one cannot now forsee Our preseu
task, as patriots and Republicans, il
to help the present administration 81
ganize the potential force Of thi
country into a Knockout blow to VIII
liam OF Hohenzollern and his com
plant German people"
Couldn't Win Today. ..
II the national presidential conven
ton were to be held tomorrow 1t |!
my belief that Col. Roosevelt woult
decline to be "a candidate agai1s
Woodrow Wilson. While there ha'
been some criticism Of the administra
tions handling of the war and wal
prepara tions, it is a fact recognize.
by all politicians that the country al
a whole is quite solidly behind Presi
dent Wilson, and any candidate, ever
as popular a one as Col. Roosevelt
would make poor headway agains
Wilson
The spirit in which the administra
ton has taken criticism is the eviden
willingness of the secretary Of wal
and others to correct any shOrtcOm
ings which might be pointed out, ant
the strong efforts made to speed W
war activities have increased the
number of supporters of the admins
tratiOn and have done much to put
the presidential campaign in the back
ground.
The main significance in the Roose
welt phenomena todady is the fact thai
the republican party is beginning tt
function as a party of opposition, and
is looking to him for leadership. What
ever leadership is exercised in the re
nublican party will be exercised BY
Theodore Roosevelt and whatever
candidate is chosen in 1920 will be
chosen by Roosevelts advice and con
sent .