The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-05-17
WOOD AND NJ 'ADOO
BEING BOOSTED AS
1920 CANDIDATES
Sentiment Of Nation Finds Re-
pubIiCanS Talking Of Army
Man While Democrats Want
Former Railroad Head.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
The News Solmitar's Special Corr

spondent.l
WASHINGTON, May 17.--Americans
are no sooner through with one presi-
dental campaign than they begin to
talk of the next, but unquestionably
there has been an extraordinary amount
OF talk about presidential candidates
since the armistice of last November
TecohNened partisan politics in the
United States
Judged entire.y by the amount of
enthusiasm displayed by the average
man encountered on my recent travels
across country and by talks with lead
ers of both parties in state and ma
tional affairs. 1t would seem that at
the present time--and that OF course,
has nothing to do with 20 months hence
Maj, Gen. Leonard Wood is talked
OF in more parts of the country for
the Republican nomination and Will
liam Gibbs McAdOo Is mentioned more
otten for the Democratic nomination
than any others,
II is apparent that Governor Frank
LoWden, OF Illinois, Is looked upon fav-
orably In areas in the Central West
and may for the moment Re considered
second in the race for the Republican
domination. and that the strength In
different sections Of Senator Hiram
Johnson, Senator Borah. and Senator
,Aoi iu'ilk anu cenalor henyon, lS lHfRe-
N local thus far. In the background
are such men as Gen. Pershing, Will
liam Howard Taft, Charles II. Hughes
and Herbert Hoover, with the strength
somewhat in the order named.
Sure Of Victory.
old-line Republican leaders are con-
tident they can win with almost any
candidate so they are disposed to lot
II be a sort OF free for-all until con-
vention time, Many of them, especial
~ those who opposed any league OF
nations, think Taft has no chance and
that Hughes is back number. On
the other hand, certain appreciation
from independent voters, who liked the
former presidents position on tho
League OF nations, has caused some Of
the old-line Republicans to wonder "
q second Grover Cleveland we're not
In sight. There is more Taft talk
east OF the Mississippi than west In
the Central West and Far West, ad.
miration for Gen. Wood Is pronounced
II is not merely because OF the slogan:
They kept him out OF war;" that sym
pathy for Gen, Woods aspirations has
developed, The youth Of the country
sees In him an aggressiveness similar TO
that Of the late Col. Roosevelt Indeed,
Il is fully expected that Lieut.. Col,
Theodore Roosevelt Jr., will soon de-
clare for Gen. Wood,
1t is unfortunate for the general that
he Is still IN uniform and therefore
can make no active campaign as some
Republicans keep talking Of the unwis-
dom of nominating a military man.
Others argue that his administrative
abilities as a soldier may be superb
but what the country needs in this COM
plex age Ia man with n knowledge
OF economics and business to wrestle
with tariffs, taxation and finance.
McAdoo Arguments.
Some Of these very things are ad-
vanced by friends Of Mr.. McAdoo
throughout the country as necessitat-
Ing his nomination by the Democratic
party, As secretary Of the treasury
as director general of the railroads
during the war, as business man.
the Democrats contend that he Is es-
pecially equipped to be president OF tho
United States Many Of the Democrats
who are impatient with President Will
sons lack of decisvenss, point TO Mr.
McAdoo as the antithesis Of his father
in-law and doer of things instead
OF a vacillating official. on the other
hand. those Democrats who are still
worshippers of President Wilson, be-
Continued on Page 3, Column 6.)