New-York tribune., 1919-12-26
General Woods Manager
Denies Opposition to Ma
tional Committee Head;
Others Indorse His Work
Primary Eagerly Awaited
Republicans Seek an Early
Verdict on Ex Soldiers
Views of the Candidates
By Carter Field
Netc York Tribune
W0ah;r1 R,,~>c..

1,
Hays will continue as chairman of the
Republican National Committee during
the campaign next summer and fall.
it was learned here to-day from men
in position to talk for practically
every candidate who has been men
toned for the Republican nomination.
1t has been the invariable rule Of
each party to have the candidate, i'm
mediately after the national conven-
tlons, name some one personally salts
factory to him to be chairman of the
national committee and run the fight.
In connection with this custom there
has been considerable interest in a
rumor that John T. King, who has
been managing the boom for General
Wood, would insist on another chair
man in the event Wood was nomi-
mated
This rumor has been positively de-
MED by Mr.. King in conversations with
friends, it was learned to-day 1t is
known, moreover, that General Wood
has expressed himself as having great
admiration for the work done by Mr..
Hays. General Wood, it is said, would
be disappointed if Mr.. Hays were by
any circumstance prevented from Civ
ing his full attention to running the
Republican campaign.
Others Also for Hays
Friends of Governor Lowden, Senator
Harding, Senator Poindexter, Governor
Coolidge and Senator Hiram johnson,
other Republican candidates, have also
expressed the desire that Mr. Hays
continue.
Chairman Hays is doing his utmost
to have the hackers of the various
candidates realize that he means what
he says in his oft quoted remark that
his duty is to "elect, not select, the
candidate" He has had each candi-
date designate some man to whom
everything done by the chairman or
other officers Of the National Com
mittee in connection with the cam
paign can be made known. All the
cards are spread on the table, so far
as the National Committee and the
various candidates are concerned. Ma
tlonal committeeman who are person
ally working for some candidate, there
fore, are compelled to keep their con-
ildential moves outside the scope Of
National Committee activities, or ELSE
have their plans exposed to a rep
resentative Of each of the opposing
camps.
The Wood hackers here were pleased
at the announcement of Governor Run
yon of New Jersey that he was for
Wood for President. New Jersey has
been regarded by some of the Wood
supporters as "enemy country" Their
hopes for New Jersey were similar to
their hopes with regard to Massachu-
setts. New York. Pennsylvania, Ohio
and 1llinois-that they would manage
to get delegates selected who would be
for Wood if the favorite son failed or
when some other break came.
Interest in Primaries
Meanwhile, interest in Republican
circles centering largely on the early
primaries-North Dakota, March 16;
South Dakota, March %; Wisconsin,
April g. and Ohio, April 27. From pres
ent indications there will be a stand-up
fight between the principal candidates
in all those states, thus giving the
country a clear line on how the voters
feel
One thing that will be speedily de-
termined is whether there is anything
in the assertion of opponents of Gem
eral Wood that the returned soldiers
will be strong against any "soldier
candidate" The Wood boomers meet
this attack by suggesting that it be
carried down the line.
"Bill Smith would make good mem
Der of the State Assembly, but the
poor fellow was in the artillery" said
one Of the Wood men in answering
this point. Harry Jones would make
good road supervisor, but he can't
run because he was in the AID Divi-
sion, so the returned soldiers would
Scratch him."
The real situation is that no one
knows whether the returned soldiers
would scratch" soldier candidate or
not, but the primaries will likely show
If the returned soldiers are going to
scratch" in the general election they
will scratch" in the primaries. If
they take the position the opponents of
General Wood think they will take the
Wood boom will evaporate SO quickly
that his name may not even be pre-
sented to the Republican convention.
If, however, General Wood should make
a good showing there will not be much
significance in that argument after the
primaries