New Britain herald., 1919-01-07
REPUBLICAN PLANS FOR 1920 ARE UPSET
Death Of Roosevelt Removes Most
 Likely Candidate

- ~ Il Oi EN- flFSiHttll rNONtSSNtiI |i'S Gr]1inant figure looming up on 'hc re- puhIlvsn political horizon Of 1920 is gone. Among party leaders It. F con rcded that if Colonel Roosevelt had lived he undoubtedly would have had jhe n0n:irntion for the presidency.
 Men who touGht Colonel Roosevelt in 1912. ami who since that time have held 5>Ioor from the 0ri&inat tor of the "@ull Moose" party. admitted today that he had so rehabilitated himself with tn" republican party that it would h.l{e been useless 10 attempt 10 defeat him were bis name to go before thn convention in 1920.
 Even Senator Pcnro$e Of PennsNl- Nania. whom Colonel Roosevelt fought bitterly. mad become roConriled t0 him. and spoke today of having seen the cx-presiGcnt several times of iel'. Mr. Penrosc. like othe" "standpat- tcrs'' in the party whom Mr RooFe- welt attachod, was ready to take up the cudsols for the colonel to win the 1"20 nomination, believing that he was the strongest man in sight,
 With the colonel gone. tnlk was in the air today at the capftol as to the probable candidate for 192n. Three men stood olt conspicuorsIy in the dj<cussi on--SeDator l\nox of Penn syIvania. Senator Harding of Ohio, and Major Gen. Leonard Wood. Others were mentioned. as General P"r$hin&. Sen~tOr Johnson Of Califor- nis. a-to MaS Rooaevelt'S running mate in the 1912 cam nAien and Sen utor Borah Of Idaho, nut thc SpecUla- tion wa# focused upon Knox. Harding and Wood.
 It was recalled that Colouel Roose- welt. shortly before the 1916 conNen- ton, suggested, as a compromise be- tNvee1, himself and Mr. Hughes, that , Senator Knox would be aCcepta ble to bin This rroffered support Of the i'cnnsylva nia,n had the effect at the capitol today Of causing some to be Hovt thal Mr. Knox might fall heir to the ncn,ina ton.
 But there was insisttnt talk Of Sen ator Harding. and everywhere that his name was m aal toned at the capl- tol. senators appeared to be satlShed with the idea of hts being put forth as the 1920 candidate. Among radt- csIs and regulars the same feeling va4 exn>eased. Harding in one day appeared to have jumped into prominent place iu yhc consideration of po%sihiiiLicS
 Senator Harding has steered a strictly party career during his tiEl" i, the senate but he has advanced with tue trend of political events, which have. put progressive theorles more to the fore than ever before. lie has supported legisla ton of pro nolnccdlv advanced character and has. t1 doing il. won the confidence of the -,..vs"e~siVe element.
 Recently Senator Harding came out in support Of the WOmahs sufrase amendment when it came up Tor vote in the senate. He Gtd nm cast hl@ vote for the am nendment because it happened that he was ''paired win another senator who Was away and. under the rx:sting agreement. could not vote l3ut he announced that he would have voted for it if he had hoen abtc to Tn assuming sh2t ats- tl.,le the Ohio senator won the sHp- port of woman sufra gist% and also scored a point with prosressiVes who were supporting the amendment,
 One Of the most advanced proeHee- sivns in the senate said today. in dis cussing Mr. Harding, that he nH- ouestioaably would be a factor to He reckoned with at the 1920 convention. And this belief was shared by regu- lars. too. The party leaders, for one
  Harding presided over tho 1916 con ventioa: they say he was hopa rtiaI. They speak of him as possessing statesman1ikc qualities.
 MT. Harding. also, comes from tha states known as the maker of presI- dents. The republican party more than once has been obliged fl a cr}- sis to turn to Ohio.
 Nr. Knox voNld have strong back ing at the 1920 convention, ii is be- 1ioved, as against Mr. Harding. Colo nei ToOseVcn's acceptance of him Rs conprontse candidate stands out now as an apprecia ble support. The Penn svlvantan has Assnmod A policy in the senate during the war that clearly indicates an incisivc view intc the na- tional needs his friends say, and thop would like to see him put himself into line for the nOmina tton.
 AS to General Wood, here is a feel ino that despite his undoubtef pop u&a rftv, the party would not do so well with soldier candidate s with a civilian General Wood is lik ed by the army, and the military vote will be the decisive one, but party leaders hesitate to put him forward.
 One thing may ba ta ken as certain. according to leaders here, and that is that General Pershing will not be the candidate. The gen eTal in command Of the American forces in France. they say. even though he achieved brilliant results. uo1Ild not appeal to the popu- lar ina gina ton even as much as does General Wood. Az one leader put it today: ''{ou may put it down that General Pershing Is out of It, He will not be the candidate. The party would be silly to nominate him"
 Senator ,Borah is not constdered se- riously al this tirue, for there is a feel ing with8ome lesd ders that he has not