Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-05-06
THIRD PARTY NOW
NEV|TABLE, ASSERT
POLITICAL LEADERS
Both Republicans and DEM
ocrats Convinced 1t viii
Come, Says Lawrence,
Discussing Primaries
BY DAVID LAWRENCE

Copyright, 1920, for The Atlanta Journal
WASHINGTON, May 5.-Both Re
publicans and Democrats whose in
fluence in their respective parties is
controlling and whose political judg-
ment is usually accurate now are
convinced that a third party is in
evitable.
Primary results in California
where Senator Hiram Johnson has
defeated Herbert Hoover have &C
centuated the lines of political
strength as the time for the two big
conventions approaches. Republican
senators friendly to Senator John
son concede that he cannot be nomi-
mated at Chicago. They say he is
not really radical but behind him
are groups of voters whose support
of the Republican ticket is not so
much based upon a conversion to
Republican doctrine as it is upon
personal fondness for Hiram John
son. To permit Johnson to be nomi-
mated would insure the domination
Of these elements, something which
the conservative leaders of the Re-
publican party do not welcome.
But to fail to nominate Johnson
means a possible detection and a
third party. The California senator
himself may be persuaded to remain
loyal to the party, but his follow
ing will not stay. It's Johnson or
nothing with them. And prepara-
tons already are under way for a
third party composed of some Of the
elements which broke away in 1912
some of the radicals who like nei-
Their the Republican nor Democratic
parties, the voters controlled by the
chain of Hearst newspapers, and
the numerous groups who are irrec-
oncilably opposed to the ratifica-
ton of the peace treaty even with
reservations.
Many of the supporters of the
third party would be drawn from the
Democra tic ranks. It looks for in
stance as if the Democratic conven-
ton will not nominate a radical of
the Bryan type. Messrs. McAdoo,
Cox and Palmer, who are in the lead
for the Democratic nomination, are
more Or less conservative.
They all favor the treaty and
League of Nations. Disappointment
over the failure of the Republican or
Democratic conventions respectively
to recognize the Johnson or Bryan
strength would compel their sup
porters to turn elsewhere. They
would be welcomed with open arms
in a third party.
The Republican leaders themselves
would prefer to go to the country
this year with a man admittedly
conservative than a candidate with
faint of radicalism that might
cause the bulk of. the nations vot-
ers to turn to a Democratic con-
servative. Republican leaders are
convinced that business efficiency
foreign policy are demanded this
time and that the day of experiment.
alism in government and quasi-soci-
alistic theorizing is gone. While
some of them foreessee third party,
sat fE &C af that there are more
Republican voters in the country
than Democrats today and that the
formation of a third party would
draw almost as many Democrats as
ments had been subtracted from
both parties, the resultant strength
Of the Republican party in each of
the important states still would be
sufficient to carry the electoral
votes for the Republican ticket.
But in the Democratic camp, the
forecast of a third party is accom-
panied by sense of jubiliation and
CONTINUED on Page 8, Column u