New-York tribune., 1920-03-03
Statement Issued at WASH
;ngton Claims General
Will Sweep South Dakota,
Michigan and Indiana
Moses Reviews Situation
Illinois Delegation Sends
Sharp Answer to Invita-
ton to Desert Lowden
By Carter Field

WASHINGTON, March 2.-Claiming
900 votes for Leonard Wood on the
frs. ballot at the Chicago convention,
the Wood managers here in q public
statement to-day asserted they would
sweep the South Dakota, Michigan and
Indiana primaries, and that they
would get delegates in both Illinois
and Ohio. Three-ffths of the Roose-
velt strength in Illinois will go fo1
Wood. they claim.
The twenty-five Republican men,
bers of the House Of Representatives
from Illinois and the two Illinois Sena-
tors signed rather sharp answer to
m invitation of the Wood people for
them to "come aboard" The joint
letter declares they are first. last and
all the time for Lowden, and asserts
the firm belief Of the signers that
Illinois "is not in any sense Of the
word for Leonard Wood for President"
The bitterness of the Lowden men
in Illinois over the entrance Of Wood
into the primaries there and the at
tempt to line up the Congressional
delegation for Lowden have not ap-
preached the feeling of the Harding
men in Ohio. and no Illinois man is
even speculating on the possibility of
the state going Democratic as a result.
This much seems certain, that
sreat deal of bitterness will be mani
tested throughout the fight at Chicago,
and that the Lowden and Harding en-
thusiasts, should their own candidates
take slump in the convention, will be
inclined to help any candidate coming
up who seems able to distance Wood.
Wood Against the Field
Friends of General Wood are perfectly
familiar with this situation, but while
they regret the bitterness that ia being
engendered they feel that they can
no. avoid il, They have entirely aban-
doned the idea of letting the favorite
sons alone and hoping for the Second
choice strength" of Wood to put him
over after few ballots have demon
strated the weakness Of the favorite
sons. They are now out in bitter
fight to win the nomination for the
general on the first two or three bal
lots, making it unnecessary to hold
Wood instructed delegates in line.
They hope by a tremendous showing
whether they win the preferential pri-
maries or not, to demonstrate to the
country that Wood is the only man
who has strength all over. They hope
to show that even in their own states
| the -favorite sons cannot hold solid
delegations when the question is sub
mitted to the Republican voters in the
primaries.
So they have given up the thought
Of maintaining friendly relations with
the men working for their opponents.
They have given up practically all
thought of the normal electioneering
and bargaining and promising which
usually occur in hotel rooms at con-
vention cities when a deadlock is on,
and are concentrating purely on sweep
ing the country for Wood before the
convention meets. They are making
their campaign along this line regard
less OF whether the Lowden men in
Illinois get sore, whether the old fac
tional fight in Ohio is revived or any
other such considerations.
They have turned the tables 80 that
it is now Wood against the field" in
stead of "the field against Wood" and
Tor the very reason disclosed by the
meaning of these two statements.
Senator Moses's Statement
More than three hundred delegates
will vote for Leonard Wood on the
first ballot at the Republican conven-
ton in Chicago, and he will receive
the nomination when the second choice
men naturally swing to him." said SEN
ator George H. Moses, manager Of the
Southern campaign for Wood here to-
day. mo other candidate will be
within one hundred votes Of Wood, and
| certainly feel not more than three
ballots and probably only two will be
necessary. Behind the three hundred
who will line up for General Wood on
the first roll call will be an aroused
public sentiment for his oondidacy
which will make impossible political
,rckery to deny him the nomination.
Public attention will be so focused on
the convention that there can be no
repetition of 1912. and even If a hand
iui OF leaders may wish to name can
9idase of their own choice rather than
one OF the peoples preference they
will hot dare attempt It,"
Senator Moses returned to Washing
ton to-day from flying trip to Wood
national headquarters in Chicago. He