New-York tribune., 1920-04-20
Two States to
Declare Treaty
Verdict To-day
Politicians Regard Georgia
and Nebraska Primaries
; as a Test of Attitude
Toward Wilson Policy
Even Diplomats Anxious
Dry Issue Also Involved in
Hitchcock : Bryan Fight
to Control Delegation


WASHINGTON. April 19.--Results OF
the Georgia and Nebraska primaries
TO be held tomorrow, are awaited here
with intense interest not only by poll
ticians of both parties, but even by
diplomats. Representatives of foreign
governments are anxious to know how
the people of the two important states,
typical of such different sections of
the country. will record themselves on
the peace treaty issue.
In Georgia the fight is straight out
test Of the strength Of President Will
sons position on the peace treaty.
There are three candidates in the
Democratic preferential primary. At
torney General A. Mitchell. Palmer is
running on standby the President
platform, indorsng "every phase" Of
the Administration, including, Of
course; the peace treaty.
Senator Hoke Smith, who voted to
ratify the treaty with the Lodge res
ervations, but who voted against rati
hcation in November when the vote on
ratification without any reservations at
all was had, is running on his .,wn
treaty position, virtually that Of the
Republican majority.
Watson "Bitter Ender"
Tom Watson. the Georgia editor, is
the third candidate. His platform is
to kill the treaty absolutely. He has
been behind Reed and. Borah in their
efforts to bury the treaty, and he
entered the race only after Senator
Reed, whose name had been put up
by admirers, had withdrawn.
Thus, the vote in Georgia will show
fairly we'll what proportion of the
Democratic voters of this typical
Southern state are standing squarely
behind the President on the treaty,
what proportion consider the mai ority
Republican position more logical and
what proportion think the treaty ought
TO be thrown overheard.
Cold political judgment mere inclines
to the belief that Smith will be vic
torious. Indeed, the Palmer people, as
was told in The Tribune this morning,
have put out statement which sur
prised and shocked Administration
supporters not in the Palmer camp by
its apparent concession of defeat and
its apparent intention to put the blame
for defeat in advance on the Admin
istration rather than on Palmer per-
sonally.
In Nebraska the results will not be
nearly SO clear as in Georgia, for the
reason that the fight between two rival
political machines-that dominated by
Senator Hitchcock and that bossed by
William Jennings Bryan-is really
more important than what either Bryan
or Hitchcock stands for.
Bryan and Hitchcock Foes
The whole fight in Nebraska is an
effort to prevent Bryan from going to
San francisco as delegate. Hitch
cock is seeking Endorsement in the
preferential primary as candidate for
President, but no Democrat has entered
against him, so it is just a question
of how large his vote will be. The
delegation will be instructed to vote
for Hitchcock, under the state law, i'll
only one man votes for him.
But the whole power of the Hitch
cock machine is being exerted to pre-
vent Bryan being a delegate to the
convention. At first Hitchcock was
disposed to permit Bryan to be a dele
gate, but Bryan's managers insisted on
dominating the delegation, which made
agreement difficult, and Arthur H.
Mullen, national committeeman, served
HotiCe ne WOuiu not SCanQ Tor Hryan
going to the convention. Gradually the
fight warmed up until now Hitchcock
himself, as we'll as his organization, is
working to beat Bryan. Defeated,
Bryan will be able to get into the con-
vention hall only as a writer for news
papers. Elected, he will be delegate
and will be able to make speeches, not
only on candidates, but on the plat
form planks.
Dry Issue Also Involved
Bryan's defeat, therefore, in the
primary would be a great victory for
the vets, since that will prevent his
making a fight inside the convention
for dry plank. His election will be
a dry victory.
peace treaty.
On the Republican side the fight is
three cornered, being between Wood,
Johnson and General Pershing. The
best opinion here, based on reports
from the state, is that Johnson will win.
with Wood second and General Per
shing third. Senator Norris. fellow
irreconcilable with, johnson on the
PEACE treaty, has been stumping through.
the state for ten days, urging John