The Washington times., 1920-06-12
BORAH MAKES
PROBE THREAT
Johnson Backer Says Senate
viii Look Into Deals" 1t
Wood or loWden Win.
By !. BART CAMPBELL
International News Service.

CHICAGO, June I2.-If either WOOD
or Lowden is the choice OF the con-
vention. the circumstances unoer
which he is nominated will be inVes-
tigated by the Senate Committee
given blanket power to probe cam
paign expenditures and CONTRIBUTORS
Senator Borah declared today.
And whatever deal was hatcheo
at a series of conference held at the
Blackstone by other Republican lead
ors until an early hour this morning,
In an attempt to break the convention
deadlock. also would be gone INTO
thoroughly by the same committee
Borah intimated.
Borah's announcement was MADE
after he conferred with Senator Ken
yon. chairman OF the committee at
the Congress Hotel. while the Black
stone conferences still were under
way.
Would Reopen Missouri Case
The committee would resume it's in
tvestigation at Chicago on July T.
when the alleged use OF Lowden
money In the pre-convention missouri
campaign, testified to at Washington
hecently, would be probed further, II
WAS stated.
Both the Republican and Demo-
cratic conventions would be kept in
view by the committee. it was under
stood, until all campaign expenditures
and contributions had been checked
, up"
A drive to substitute Harding for
either Wood or Lowden when the
convention reconvened at 10 o'clock
this morning was discussed at the
, Blackstone conference, ii was learn
ed.
1t was also reported a majority
J of the Pennsylvania delegation was
, still urging Sproul as a compromise
! candidate, although willing to swing
| behind Harding II required to WIFI
! draw the moral support" 1t agreed
D.! to continue to give Sproul at a eau
Gus it held at the Blackstone last
night.
Move Toward Knox Also.
A move toward Knox by the seven
ty-six Pennsylvania delegates liso
was talked Of although from twenty
five to thirty of them were said to
be ready to fall in for Wood when
freed from their pledges to stick to
'Sproul.
Borah declored he had no personal
johnson and Knox are quite friendly.
But Borah insisted Johnson not only
be nominated, but predicted again he
would be elected the next President.
Borah reiterated that under on
circumstances would he consent to
Wood or Lowden. Borah's attitude
and the knowledge that Senator Ken
yon was planning to get his cocm-
mittee into action again soon after
the San Francisco convention ends,
were said to have contributed to the
Willingness displayed at the Black
stone conferences to drop both Wood
and Lowden.
Smoot Played Leading Part.
Senator Smoot played an important
part in these conferences. Col. Will
liam Cooper Proctor, millionaire soap
manufacturer, who admitted having
contributed more than 100000 to the
Wood campaign fund, was in close
touch with them. Governor Lowden,
through his campaign managers, was
also said to have been kept informed
as to what uanspired.
Among the Senator'S besides Smoot
who drifted in and out of the con-
ferences were: Watson of Indiana,
of New York, Frelinghuysen of New
Jersey, Calder Of New York, Curtis
of Kansas, and Harding himself.
1t was freely predicted by dele
gates friendly to Harding, assembled
in the Blackstone lobbies to await
the outcome Of the conferences, that
the Ohio Senator would be the nomi-
nee Of a majority of the convention
before many ballots were taken to-
day.
Visits were paid by some of the
Senators to the Wood and Lowdsn
headquarters, as well as to those of
other Presidential aspirants, while
the conferences were on. Several of
the conferences were held in the
room of Senator Brandegee, on the
fourth floor of the Blackstone, which
became eventually the headquarters
Of the conferees Borah was visi-
tor to the Blackstone, but he denied
he had participated in any of the
conferences. He said he had gone
to the hotel to confer with Johnson.