New-York tribune., 1920-01-15
Mood toCive
Harding Open
Road i'm Ohio
Agreement That General Is
10 Keep Out of Primary
Race in That State Is
Reached in Conference
Hinted as Second Choice
Aetion Declared to Elim-
inate the Possibility of
Split Like That of 1912
BY Carter Field
Nesc York Tribune
Wdshinotos. Rurecu

NSW York Tribune
Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON. Jan. IA plan to
aroid friction in Ohio between the
HsxGng and Leonard Wood forces was
discussed for two hours to-day by SEN
asor Warren G. Harding and William
Coeper Proctor. of Cincinnati. head of
the Wood for President organization.
After the conference it was an
nounced that Genera: Wood will not be
put up As 3 contestant Tor first choice
against Harding in the Ohio primaries.
While no assurances of support were
xiven. T. Proctor and other Wood men
were n ch encouraged in the hope that
Ohio would make Wood it's second
choice which would mean that in the
even at at any stage of the Chicago
conveu on the nomination of Harding
skoIid become hopeless the Ohio dele
gasion Tould swing 70 Wood
Mr. rector made it clear to Senator
Hare :, it is understood. that no pref
e.en. primary will be- necessary in
Ohio Hess some of the other candi-
date hould decide to run. In that
ever OF course, he said, the Wood
peor will find it necessary to protect
the wn interests. They will not,
how T, make fight on Harding in
Qlt no OtHeT CanQlQalG enters.
Roosevelt Men for Wood
O. Republicans in Washington
seen iuch pleased at the conference,
and clare that it will make impos-
sibis ny such split as rent the party
in Ii state in 1912. That year was
allus to by almost every Ohio man
diset.s sing the. situation to-day, for the
reasol that the men who are backing
Wood in Ohio to-day are the men for
the most part who carried the flag
for Roosevelt in 1912, while opponents
of Wood for the most part were on
the other side of the fence.
Feeling has been developing rapidly
Stree the meeting of the Republican
M - nal Committee here, when the
va5i men decided they had enough
sire tn to go into preferential
pr mary in Ohio in an effort to take
Il Il ,d.:r. dsa:s"5i'" away from Senator
A evidencing the calm which fol-
lowed to-day's conference, Harry NJ.
Dcugherty, in the new Harding head
quarters Just opened at the Willard.
declared tonight he had the highest
regard for General Wood, and thought
he would make a splendid candidate
1or President. This statement sounds
mild, but had it been made yesterday
there are Ohio Republicans who would
have been almost killed by the shock
had they heard it.
Dougherty Coy on Second Choice
Il have no second choice" said Mr.
Dougherty. Il will know who my sec
ond choice is after / have recovered
consciousness from the beating and
tearing to pieces l will receive if Hard
ing IS not nominated-when I am told
whom the convention has nominated.
As matter of fact, do not know any
one VINO has been mentioned for the
nomination so far who would not be
SAT- sfacrory co me-as second zchoiees''.
'':soE1e of the Ohio politicians say you
are against Wood" he was told.
That Is not true. OF course, am
Tor Harding first, last and all the time.
tut General Wood is fine man and
',ld make an excellent President. If
ne Is nominated l will work as hard
as | possibly can to elect him. And |
make che same statement for everv
otaer candidate prominently mentioned
for the nomination. They are won
darfuliy good lot of men this year and
t1e Whole situation BODIES we'll for
victory.
:. ONO. want to say. is going Repub-
sieaa. We have got entirely over the
sraubies we had in 1916 and will carry
tue state for the ticket"
Ohio Friendly to Wood
Oaic Republicans in Washington are
'olidly behind Harding. and are con-
Fsneed that he is going to be norni-
IA sA But the friendliness to other
:ancidates indicated by Mr.. Dougherty
9 1slt by all of them. A canvass |
ESvs that the second choice of |
le all of them is Leonard Wood.
Tr is the real reason for the will |
r =ss of the Wood forces to abandon |
sEort to take the delegation away |
Harding. They think they will |
he Buckeye delegation before the /
: ion Is over by this plan, and
j wish TO hurt their chances of |
1t II gracefully by trying to fight
o. :. this time.
aes | Wood to-day conferred with
soE Lodge, Wadswcrth and Nell
Es -alked TO the last named two
tors. 1t was learned, on the re-
'zaSion Of the army, which iegis-
now pending ready to be taken
- Senate. His talk with Sen
&c is understood to have been
t;cs.
.or. Lodge is for Coolidge. the
son of Massachusetts, but il
eood 10 be very friendly to Cen
cod, and few politicians would
wrprised to see Senator Lodge
break to Wood if il should
manifest that Coolidge cannot
mated
Wood people to-day were de-
I'd at the word from Oklahoma
-