New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-06-11
Penrose Will
Support Knox,
Followers Say
Chosen Few in Touch With
Senator Declare at the
Psychological Point He
Will Desert SproulI
Keeps Choice Under Cover
Support He Has Given to
Governor Only Luke
warm, Politicians Hold
Special Dispatch to The Tribune

special Dispatch, TO The Tribune
PHILADELPHIA, June 10. = "The
Philadelphia North American to-mor.
row will publish the fol- wing:
CHICAGO, June 10-Senator Penrose
will be tacitly for Gov ,or sproul nm.
I'll the balloting reaches that psyche
logical point a which it will be cooo
strategy to reveal his real candidate
That candidate, it is expected, will be
Philander C. Knox.
This much was learned to-day from
those chosen politicians who have been
IN conference with the sick leader in
Philadelphia by long distance telephone
and telegraph. And despite stories to
the contrary, it is insisted that the
!enTose voice actually has been carried
l'ooo miles by wire to the convention
scene and that men in his confidence
mere have been privileged by hearing his
directions personally voiced.
Lukewarm for. Sproul
Penrose is only lukewarm for the
Sproul boom. AS he stated several
weeks ago, he still believes that Sen
ator Knox is the "best equipped. all
around international statesman" to
head the Presidential ticket of the Re-
publican party in the next campaign.
The Penrose statement of yesterday.
published in Chicago papers day, is
not construed as an Endorsement of the
Pennsylvania Governor. In fact,
among those who really know the Pen
rose mind, it is looked upon as the op-
posite.
This belief is strengthened by a
slight correction that the Penrose CON
fldants here say has been made in
some of the published reports What
the Senator really said in his state
ment, it is asserted, is that he is
friendly" to the Sproul aspirations
and not Favorable" as some of the
dispatches quoted him. This would
make his statement of yesterday read:
at is generally understood Senator
Penrose is entirely friendly to the as
pirations Of Governor Sproul and there
is no question about his loyalty in this
weighty consderat ions of general
character that prevail at the conven-
ton at Chicago"
Considering this changing in the
wording. the second sentence of
the statement was looked upon as
far from being Sproul Endorsement
Penrose, it is said. is standing on his
earlier assertion that he favors the
nomination of a man who can be
elected. 1t is also insisted that it is
his desire to cap off his long political
career not so much by the nomination
of a man who will weld all factions of
the party into one indiss oluble whole
as one who will give to the country
during the next four years an admin
istration that will reflect unmistakable
credit to the nation and to his own
judgment as President picker. No
one can do this, is the accredited Pen
rose belief, other than the junior
Senator.
Knox's Qualifications
The connections which Knox had with
Roosevelt, his friendliness with Hiram
J Johnson, his distinguished record as a
Cabinet officer and his stand on the
league of nations, which conceded with
Penrose's own, are the qualifications
which are said to appeal most strongly
to the sick Senator's mind.
In any event, Penrose is not expected
to make any definite statement of his
position until he considers the critical
moment has arrived. In the mean time,
it is asserted here, the Pennsylvania
Senator will be silent and let the world
wonder as to where he stands.
But his silence now is unquestionablv
lending strength to the Sprou boom.