The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-07-14
The Leonard Wood Boom.

The presidential boom for General
Leonard Wood is an exceedingly interest
ing movement. In some ways 1t stands
quite by itself as a political phenomen IN.
Though the men who are considered lead
ers Of the Republican party are far from
showing any hostility toward the Wood
candidacy, there is no particular indi-
cation that any Of them are behind II or
are hurrying TO approve or endorse 1t.
! Nevertheless, General Wood leads in ev-
cry straw ballot taken, whether among
soldiers or civilians, and in several states
there are definitely organized movements
in his behalf. X Is conceded that he Is
the only officer who can get the army
vote. The general is, in short, strictly
popular" candidate. That is TO say,
he has chiefly the endorsement of people
who are not concerned oyermuch with
politics and are not especially interested
in party organization.
The basis of General Woods popula' i,
ty Is easy TO understand. His Roose-
veltian sntecedents and principles, his
straightforward common sense, his ideu-
tifcation with the Plattsburg idea; his
fearless work for preparedness in the
face of departmental opposition; the
shabby treatment given him throughout
the whole of the war period by an adj
ministration which should have been
grateful to him and should have made
much of him, all have brought him be.
fore the public in peculiarly emphatic
way. His name has become a household
word. To-day he is infinitely more of
hero than General Pershing or any
officer who had a general command on
the front lines. In the service he has
grown singularly popular by reason Of
the way the men who passed through
his divisional training camp have sung
his praises to their fellows. Many a
returning soldier who curses practically
every other officer has good word for
Wood And this unquestionably, is be.
cause the general believes it possible to
treat drafted men as fellow human be-
ings, and as fellow American citizens and
patriots, even while he is engaged in
whipping them into shape to be soldiers
/ it is because he recognizes the possibili.
ty of an underlying comradeship between
the man in the ranks and the man with
commission, without detriment to any
essential discipline
1t is noticeable that as the troops
come home from abroad, the Wood boom
grows Evidently the veterans are talk
ing matters over with their families and
friends. Equally, it is plain that the
Democrats are worried over the situs-
ton; and they are particularly disturbed
because they do not dare to undertake
any attack upon Wood. The most they
dare to do is protest that man should
not be nominated for the presidency out
of sympathy; and even this is ticklish
business, since the very admission that
there may be an element Of sympathy
in the sentiment of the people for Wood
is a reflection on the treatment accorded
him by the present Washington admins
tration.
OF course, it is much too soon to even
make guess on the outcome of any
presidential boom; but one thing is max
ing decidedly for permanence and
strength, so far as General Wood is CON
cerned: This is the generals ability to
keep his mouth shut, go about his regn-
lar business and let others sing his
praises for him Detroit Free Press.