Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-04-10
VOTE
WEAKENS STAND
OF PRESIDENT
BY DAVID LAWRENCE

WASHINGTON, April 8.-Every
primary election may have a mean
ing all it's own, but, collectively, all
the primaries thus far held have no
meanings at all.
Symptoms they are, of national
expression that will grow more con-
elusive as the time of the political
conventions approach, but attempts
to draw deductions standardlzlng the
opportunities of the several presiden-
tial aspirants in both parties are adj
mittedly part of the preconvent1on
game wherein the wish is father to
the thought.
Those who don't like Hiram john
son or Herbert Hoover point to New
York's vote for an unpledged delega-
ton to the Republican national con-
vention as a strong disapproval of
Johnson and Hoover. Those who
would like to satUrate the Democratic
platform with the moisture of lib
eralized pianks on. light wines and
beer derive aid and comfort from
the heavy vote given Governor Ed
wards, exponent of Wetness, in the
Michigan primaries.
Those who would fain see the
boom of Leonard Wood collapse I'M
der the weight of plutocracy's back
ing, point to the Michigan vote as an
example of what a state, victimized
by the Newberry campaign, fund
controversy, will do for man like
Hiram Johnson, who has practically
no funds at all.
Johnson a Radical
And lastly, they who have main
tanned all along that the people of
the United States are against par
are encouraged by the vote given
Johnson, who, in all his speeches.
denounced the league and treaty with
or without reservations.
the Michigan vote on the hesitant
members of congress, who must in
the next few days vote on joint
resolution declaring peace, there can
be little doubt. Encourag cement is
derived by them from the fact that
did an avowed exponent of the
League of Nations exhibit himself,
and even A. Mitchell Palmer, a Dem
ocratic aspirant, is quoted as having
said in campaign speech in Geor-
gia that he. favored substantial
reservations"
But no matter how much pleasure
irreconcilable opponents Of the
peace treaty may get out of the
successful Johnson campaign in
Michigan, there is much that is dis
'quieting in it to the regular conserva-
tive organization of the Republican
party. For Hiram Johnson is a rad
ical. He fought alongside of Sena-
tor La Toilette who by the way, hobs
up successfully in Wisconsin's pri-
marieS again. >-. fc
The two men, assailed the rich and
insisted that they bear the burdens
of taxation. Hiram Johnson is much
more sound in his views than Will
liam Jennings Bryan, but as a cam
paigner with personal magnetism in
his oratory, the two have many
points in common.
Stock to Go UP
~ The east is just discovering what
who managed to carry a progressive
state like California by 100000 while
the regular Republican nominee for
president. lost the state altogether
Hiram Johnson's triumph in eastern
sections will send his stock higher
instance, taken from. the writer's
summary of September 80, last. on
political observations made. during
the month Of ;Septempet when ac+
complaining President Wilson on his
western trip:
pecting the issue of the league to
be decidedly clearly. A man who gives
his reasons for refusing to see the
United States join any league is
much more likely to be listened to
than a man who says he is for a
league with qualifications or reser-
vations that amount to a desire to
reject the treaty and league which
he seems to hesitate to say directly
SO if the peace treaty is defeated, 1t
is Hiram Johnson who will get the
fight, many Republicans will regard
him as the most likely figure for
president on the Republican ticket
largely because of the sheer force
of his ability to swing the senate in
his favor"
There can be no doubt that Hiram
Johnson kept Senator Lodge and his
group of reservationists from accept
ing the Wilson interpretations or res
ervations and insisted upon keeping
Article Ten in such form as would
accomplish the notification of the
States is concerned.
Roosevelt Following Divided
The difference is that Senator
Johnson admits the covenant thus
was rendered innocuous, while oppon-
ents of the pact, who cling to the
reservation, idea. contend that the
dent Wilson, himself, is inclined to
side with Hiram Johnson-that in
effect Article 10 was killed by the
reservations and the object Of Mr..
Johnson was accomplished.
Senator Johnson is on the upward
grade. He never will suit the east
ern Republicans because his radical
ism on domestic questions is not
to their liking.
The Roosevelt following is divid-
ed between Johnson and Leonard
Wood. AS the campaign develops, it
will be noted that the California
senator, who has the ardent support
of Mr.. Hearst and his string of wide
ly read newspapers, will get closer
to the radical wing of the Republi-
can party while Leonard Wood tends
to retain along with Governor Low
den, and possibly Herbert Hoover,
the confidence of the Republican
conservatives.
But the primaries are inconclu-
sive. They show no great tides of
opinion-merely ripples of dissatis-
faction with some candidates or ed
dies of enthusiasm for the personal
campaigner, or stalwart support for
organization politicians who pull the
primary strings. Each state presents
a case unto itself, And meanwhile,
all the political headquarters here
profess to see great significance"
as we'll as vital Fluctuations in the
stock of the respective candidates.