Americus times-recorder., 1920-04-12
WRECK OF WOOD
MACHINE SEEN IN
MICHIGAN RESULT
Practically Eliminated
Unless He Performs
Near Miracle
BY H. n. RICKEY.

WASHINGTON, April I2.-In
these dispatches abut ten days ago |
called attention TO the Importance of
the Michigan presidential primary.
In brief, my Interpretation was that
the Wood campaign for the Repubh-
can nomination would reach its crisis
in Michigan; that Wood must carry
the state by safe plurality over
johnson to keep his position as the
leading candidate IN the race.
The figures from Michigan show
that Wood got terrible beating.
Wood not only lost ms position in
the contest for ths nomination, he Is
practically eliminated unless ha and
his managers are able 70 perform
political miracle
Up to a few weeks ago Michigan
was conceded 10 Wood. His mana
gers had spent months organizing the
state and the other candidates were
inclined to let him have Il by default,
spending their energies II more prom
Using fields.
Slush Fund Charges.
Then the rumOrs as 20 the size Of
the Wood barrel began 70 spread,
crystallizing IN definite charges By
Senator Johnson and his lieutenant,
Senator Borah, that an attempt was
being made 10 buy Woods nomiua-
tion by Big Business"
Following these charges the John
son forces decided 10 challenge Wood
IN Michigan on the issue Of the s,ze
OF Wood campaign fund and the
character and motives Of the sub
scribers.
The Wood people accepted the
challenge, as they could not very
well evade the Issue.
They also figured that Woods lead
in Michigan was so great that i could
not be overcome and that the best
johnson could do would d % run Z
fairly good second.
The Michigan primaries were the
first to be held since the Doodle az5ta-
tlon and Wood $ defeat may be inter
preted as the verdict Of Republican
voters against the generals campaign
methods.
While there is no way Of getting
at the figures 1t Is quite probably that
thousands Of Michigan voters who
would have voted for Wood, a month
60, voted against him. and voted
or Johnson Monday, as a protest
galnst the unlimited use of money
y the Woo managers.
II is pretty safe to estimate that
the attitude Of the Republicans OF
Michigan is typical of the attitude Of
the Republican rank and file through
out the country in respect Of this vital
issue.
Johnson Had Stage.
In Michigan, Johnson profted more
than the other Republican candidates
because he raised the Doodle ques-
ton and made the most aggressive
campaign against Wood. The other
candidates rather stepped aside and
permitted Johnson to get what advan-
tage he could out Of putting Wood
out of business.
So that while the effect of the
Michigan vote on Woods presiden-
tial ambitions is nearly if not quite
fatal, it by no means follows that
Johnson gains as much as Wood
loses.
The Hoover vote was much larger
than even the most enthusiastic Hoov-
erite had reason to expect. Hoover's
name was put on both tickets with
out his consent and practically no or
ganized effort was made in his be-
half.
Hoover's announcement of his Re-
publicanism was made only a few
DAYS before the primary and the only
methodical work for him was dur
ing these few days.
The fact that Hoover received thou |
sands of votes as a Democrat, indi-