Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-05-28
WOOD ELIMINATED,
BELIEF AT CAPITAL
Washington Thinks Proctor and
Hitchcock Have Wrecked Their
Candidates Chances
NO ERICH RlNG' REVEALED
* BY CLINTON W. GILBERT
Star Correspondent cf the Evening ruhli
r.. Tesjger

campaign Of most of tho sensational
charges that have been going the rounds
about IL.
There appears n have been no
underwriting syndicate Of rich men.
Great wealth does not seem to have
been wild about the opportunity to put
its candidate over" at least not to the
extent Of giving much money TO Woods
managers, or to underwriting his sue
cess.
The Frick dinner did not result in a
lot of mllionnircs leaving their sigma
lures on subscription blanks. Colonel
Proctor gave largely or lent largely
probably IL will turn out 10 he gave
but Colonel Proctor is not sinister
figure from Wall street. but rich old
gentleman indulgins in romantic
fancy for making himself Il power in
politics. Having been denied by Will
son the opportunity to leave his hun
dreds of thousands to education, he
turns to make Wilson's chief foe
President.
Visits Of Angels" Few
- A few other rich men. Bilesby and
Alger, Of Michigan. for example, gave
$50 900 or so apiece. but angels
visits to the Wood headquarters were
few and far between.
General Woods subscription list,
which hns not. indeed. been made
public. is not going to read like a di-
rectory Of directors or like \ meeting
of the Steel Trust. II is going to show
ehietly one harmless old gentleman who
found soap making u prOSaic occupa-
ton and though himself rich enough to
sford something more romantic aud
exciting.
The Wood managers might advan-
tageously have disclosed all this be.
fore. But while all this is true it is
Impossible 70 deny that Woods pros.
poets have been damaged. most people
IN Washington think hopelessly. by the
rumpus Woods managers permitted
Senator Borah to make over campaign
expenditures when they might have
stopped him b. opening their books
promptly.
They have been put into the position
OF being reluctant to disclose their
wealth and its sources. They have al
lowed suspicion to rest upon them. And
they have finally disclosed cxpendi-
lures more than twice almost three
times, as great as those of any other
candidate.
This money has not been expended
corruptly. but il has been expended
foolishly.
Advertises Candidate Like Soap
Colonel Proctor in his own pgrSuu
gives the public picture Of the who,r
thing. A7d Colonel Proctor VAS a
slightly ridiculous figure writing cheeks
without keeping himself informed about
what became of the money. obsn,srd
with the idea that he was performing an
f,,It
"obligation as he put it, advertising
his candidate like a soap. talking Of hrs
expenditures as an advance which he
had a faint" but real" expectation
Of getting it back.
You fall between two stools if YOU
give much money for political purposes.
II you hope TO profit by it you are
tselfsh and sinister interest" II, like
Colonel Proctor. you do not. you are a
slightly laughable figure. It is almost
as bad to BE- laughable As to be sinister.
Colonel Proctor spent between $500.
600 and STO0. 900 advertising General
Wood like Soap-thc comparison is
Colonel PrOcter's own. This set the
pace for the other candidates who could
not bear to see their rival having all
The billboards and all the double pages
in the newspapers \ practical man like
John T. King got out Of the Wood cam
paign because he saw this and tho OK
pensive headquarters and all the other
show window stuff were waste Of
money.
Wood Politically Ignorant
Frank II. Hitchcock. another practi.
cal man with the Wood campaign. con.
stantly Quarrclcd with Colonel Proc
ter because he, too said all the bally-
hoot expenditures were waste of
,money. They made a noise. but they
didn't get the delegates
General Wood may bc acquitted ~
responsibility for the foolish methods
of his management. He vas politically
ignorant. He was told that the only
way he could get over was with much
beating of drums and other loud noises.
And he was told that loud noises cost
much money.
He was at the outset rhp most dis
tinguishCd figure in his party. whom
age and other considerations did not
make unavailable for the presidency.
He embodied in his person and his
views pretty we'll the general attitude Of
the vast majority Of his party. Had he,
like Mr.. MCAdoo, been content 10 stand
aside, keep out Of the primaries. refuse
all the booming. he would today be as
likely to be- named by the Republicans
ta' ahi wv ahl''p - ~ INV l'flll''TuIN,
Hitchcock a Liability
When he decided to be- an open can
didate he faced two dangers, the like
lihood Of being killed off by the too
great skill Of the professionals. such us
King and Hitchcock, aud the likelihood
of being ruined by the excessive zeal OF
amateurs. lie did not successfully avoid
either danger
Hitchcock is liability Of General
Woods. The party organization dis
likes and distrusts him. Colonel Proctor
is a liability Of General Woods lie
has been responsible for foolish oxpeu-
ditures and foolish self f-cOnsciousncss
about the expenditures.
Washington guesscs that Proctor and
Hitchcock together have eliminated
Wood. Washington may be wrong. The
convention will take cooler view Of
the situation. The convention must have
a candidate and neither the primaries
nor the talk Of dark horses has been
fruitful Of big candidates
General Wood is morally undamaged
by all that has come out, except so far