South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-03-23
HARDING is LOSING
NEIGHB0R STATES
TO GENERAL WOOD
Hitchcock Factor Is Winning
South and West From
Ohioan.
ny louis LUDLOW.

T. a
There is a noticeable recession Of
Sen. Hardings presidential pros
poets the political experts at Wash
ingtOn being almost unanimously OF
the view that the Ohio candidate
has lost considerable ground i'm the
last few weeks.
Gen. Leonard Wood has cut into
Sen. Harding's candidacy in "a num-
Der Of states and political observers
az Washington say that what
strength Sen Harding has lost he
has lost almost entirely TO Wood
There is no evidence for instance
that Harding has lost any delegates
20 Lowden or Johnson or that Poin-
dexter is robbiug the Ohio candidate
OF any OF the strength supposed to-
be his.
Losing kentucky.
Among the states which were ten
tstively placed IN the Harding col
umn but which are showing indica-
tions OF transferring their allegiance
20 Leonard Wood are some Of large
importance, politically and strateg-
ically. The latest developments
along these lines are IN Kentucky. A
few months ago political observers
forecasted = Harding delegation
from the Bluegrass state There was
a
the fact that Kentucky borders Ohio
and Sen. Harding had = made many
friends in the state. Furthermore.
IL was thought at that time that Sen.
Harding's candidacy bore ere
promise than any other and Ken
lucky politicians who were looking
for the band-wagOn Of the winner
picked Harding.
A strong movement developed
looking to the instruction of Ken
tuCky's delegates for Harding. This
might have been done If Frank Il.
Hitchcock had not even then been
on the job The movement 20 line
the state UP for Harding had the
support OF the most prominent re-
publican member of congress from
Kentucky. That member and Hitch
cock are close friends and have
played politics" together in the|
past. One day the member received
a telegram from Hitchcock asking
him TO come 10 New York for a
conference lie went and Hitchcock
presented I'm a very convincing way
the desirability of sending a free and
untrammeled delegation from Ken
lucky to the national convention At
that time Hitchcock had not public
" declared himself for Wood other
friends Of Gen Wood also became
interested and II was finally decided
that Kentucky's delegates to the ma
tional convention should go Unin-
structed.
Indiana Boosting Wood.
Gen Wood also is making heavy
inroads in Sen. Harding's ranks in
Indiana. Indiana has evoluted from
Harding % Wood as the forces of the
doughty general have advanced in
caught by the Indiana members Of
congress. Rep. Vestal Of the Eighth
Indiana district recently sought ex-
pressions from the republican Coun-
" chairman OF his district as TO the
presidential drift. The replies were
all OF one tenor. namely that senti-
ment was headed strongly toward
Gen Wood One county chairman
reported that ne had sent out let
tiers TO the leading republicans Of
his county asking their views and
that 90 percent Of the replies were
favorable 20 Wood.
Wood appears 20 be sweeping the
state" was the comment made by
Rep. Louis W. Fairfield Of the TT
Wayne district. Rep VIII r.. Wood
Of Lafayette. the dean of the Indiana
congressional delegation, himself
strong Harding man. admits that If
the primary were held now 1t would
be hard work 10 prevent Gen.
Wood from securing a clear MAORI
~ Endorsement. which would bind
the Indiana delegates TO him until
he chose To release them.
NeighbOrs Respect Harding.
From the present outlook II does
not appear that Sen Harding will
get the votes OF any state that Dor
ders on Ohio and from which. on aC-
count of prOpinquity. 10 was expect
ed at first he would derive very
considerable support. For instance.
Michigan shows no signs now Of
contributing any delegates TO the
Harding column. The Michigan pri-
mary will be held on April 8 and the
most reliable advices that can be
obtained here are TO the effect that
Gen Wood will sweep the state.
IL is possible that West Virginia
NAV give a few votes 20 Sen Hard
ing. as a good deal of quiet mis-
sionary work has been going on
with a view 20 lining that state up
FOR Harding after 10 casts a 'favorite
son" ballot for Sen. Sutherland.
Frank H. Hitchcock is tee man
who is blasting the fond hopes OF
Sen. Harding's managers down in
Dixie IL was a sad day for the
Hardin management as Tar as that
section Of the country is concerned
when Hitchcock aligned himself
with the Wood forces. for from that
day Sen Harding's prospects for
southern support IN the convention
have been receding
From the west also comes reports
that Cen Wood is capturing support
here. there and yOuder that at first
was a attracted 20 Sen Harding