The Washington times., 1920-06-09
4 SCRATCHED
BY0LDGUARD
lowden, Wood, Harding, and
Johnson Eliminated for Vary
ing Reasons by Bosses"
~ WILLIAM PHILIP siMsis.
Istsrnat tionaI News Service


CHICAGO. June 9.--The battle be-
tween the Republican old guard and
the young guard OF the party is on,
After beginning devoid OF all
chromatics, the second day OF the
G.. o. p. convention brought with IL
the conviction that within thirty-siN
hours the crisis over the nomination
would be reached and the beginning
OF the end in sight.
The night is over the control OF the
convention and not the least strange
feature OF the contest Is that, in the
night between the old guard leaders
and the Embossed at the caucus, tho
latter do not know there Is "A night.
These, the members OF the Republican
young guard, know they are engaged
in a passage at arms with skilled ad-
versaries. but to them II Is only
friendly bout, let win who may.
Life Or Death For Old Guard.
The indications are, however. that
the old guard leaders are out to win,
and that so far as they arc concerned
the struggle now engaged in C. one oil
life and death. over the question OF
the nominee, the oddly Unmatched forces
have come TO grips. one grim deter
mined decided: the other smilingiy
Unconscious of what is ahead.
Already the process OF elimination
has set in. -Four candidates, II Is un-
derstood, have already been stricken
from the list by the blue pencil or the
old guard and the hand Is said to be
poised to strike off other names be-
sides.
Victims Of Blue Pencil.
Those said to have had their fate
set for them. so far as the old line
crowd are concerned, are;
/. Gov. Frank o. Lowden OF Illinois.
2. Maj. Gen. Leonard Wood
2-Senator Warren G. Harding oi
Ohio.
4 senator Hiram Johnson OF Cali
fornia.
The reasons cited for such elimina
tions by the old guard leaders, varied
with the individual candidate.
Lowden and Wood In Same Boat.
Governor Lowden. it Is said, was
one OF the faVorites OF his party, ana
few hold him to blame for any mis-
use by others of the money he con-
tributed to his own campaign. But
those opposed to his selection do not
wish to give the emocratic party any
such a stranglehold on the Republican
nominee in the fight to come.
Leonard Wood. they argue, is IN
pretty much the same position as
Lowden, so far as campaign expendl-
tures are concerned. while in addition
there Is the other objection that he
rode rough shod over the old line
party organizations. contested inc
states OF favorite sons, hitting to the
right or left regardless Of the feelings
of the recognized leaders.
Harding Was Enemy Of u. ".
Against Senator Harding two
things are said to have told: His com
narrative weakness in his home state
of Ohio, and his animosity TO the late
Theodore Roosevelt. Some OF the
Senator'S writings against Roosevelt
were used against him in the ONO
campaign, and TO this, perhaps more
than to any other one cause, many
attribute. Ohio's cool treatment OF
him at tho polls. The G. o. p. regu-
lars admit they want candidate
with as perfect "A record as possible.
Senator Boise Penrosc has SAID the
party must pick to win.
Hiram johnson. his opponents claim.
has eliminated himself by combating
all the Otner C9nuludtcSs tIts say NV
has fought them all and must in
turn, expect to be fought by them.
stampede Talk Revived.
The selection of Senator Henry
Cabot Lodge. Republican. of Massa-
chusetts. leader in the fight for a
treaty with reservations. and of Sem
ator James T.. Watson of Indiana, an
other "reservationist," as chairman of
the committee on platform, is taken
to mean the middle of -the-road Re-
publicans arc in power here and that
any program they decide upon they
can put rough-providing nobody
kicks over the traces.
Talk of stampede was revived
here today. That such thing is pos
sible is now pretty generally ad-
mitted, though the whole thing de-
pends upon circumstances. If the eX-
perienced leaders of the Old Guard
can hold the convention back, there
will be no stampede. IL it cannot do
so. then any of the candidates may
disregard the leaders and mako q
dash for the nomination via more
direct appeal to the delegates them
selves.
on the other hand, should the con
vcntion go its course. normally and
undisturbed, through the process OF