Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-01-28
REPUBLICANS SHY
At FAVORlTE SON
CAMPAIGN PLAN
Proposed Method for the
Presidential Race Apparent
Iy Is Abandoned.
INDICATIONS NOW POINT
TO "OPEN CONVENTICM''
Many in Running for the Nomina-
ton Disclaim Desire to
Wear Label.
BY n. o. MESSENGER.

titS IS tHt apparent collapse OF the
earlier designed plan of the over
lords of the republican party man
agement to put number of 'favorite
sons in the field and trade for a
candidate at Chicago. All indications
now point. as result of the evil
dent abandonment of the favorite son
scheme, to the sending of uninstructed
deieSates as far as may be possible
ana - an open convention.
Many shy at Label.
Gov Goodrich of Indiana gave out
statement at indianapolis last night
announcing his Withdrawal as a
favorite SON." but leaving his hat
IN tire ring if the convention should
decide to see it, Gov. Sproul of
IthnSyivania stated in a speech in
tpiS city Monday night that he would
NOT permit his name to be used as
fiennsylvania's favorite son merely
70 roid delegates Gov. Coolidge of
Massachusetts last week gave the
same intimation as to his purpose
Nicholas Murray Butler in New
York served notice on his friends last
week. as noted in The Stars staff
correspondence from that city at the
time. that he resented the use of his
warmer. Gen. Pershing has persist
entity refused to countenance the
overzealous efforts of friends in
Nebraska to put him forward as that
state Iavorite son. Senator Kellogg
SHE'D in Minnesota
Genuine Candidates Preferred.
Thus. one by one. the leaves are
falling in the political Fallambrosa
Only genuine candidates for the nomi-
nation who are in the fight to win
and not to permit themselves to be-
come political pawns, to be moved
about at will by the would-be Presi-
dent makers. bid fair to insist upon
their states standing behind them.
Gov Goodrich was impelled to make
his exit from the galaxy of favorite
sons because the influential politicians
OF his state declined to recognize him
as such. Horace c. Stillwell, an In
diana politician who spends most of
his time in New York and lives at the
Waldorf. came to Washington to seek
the signature of the Indiana delega-
ton in Congress to the governors
fling petition in the primaries. Five
members of the delegation refused to
sign and the effort was abandoned.
The governors withdrawal from the
pose of favorite son quickly followed.
Indiana, pivotal state, will be un-
fettered in the convention.
The plan to set up a number of
favorite sons as rallying posts to
gather and hold delegates until the
best man could be picked was decided
upon in the early stages of the cam
paign. II is an ancient and popular
play often resorted to in a pinch.
The pinch this time was the menace
of the Leonard Wood campaign, which
suddenly doomed in the faces of the
old-line managers to alarming pro-
portions.
Alleged Anti-WOod Move.
1t was clear upon the face of things
that Gen. Wood had an immense nu-
cleus in the old progressive and Roose-
Welt sentiment. For awhile the old
line men were genuinely concerned.
Their first move was to bring out
the favorite sons to keep delegates
from being gobbled up by Gen. Wood.
1t was to be the field against Wood.
until Wood should be checked or
eliminated. and then the rest would
begin to dicker.
But with New York, Indiana and
Pennsylvania breaking away from the
plan, three states necessary to repub-
1ican success, it begins to look now.
the politicians agree. that it will have
TO be dropped So the word is going
forth 10 send uninStructed delegates
to the convention That the situation
promises to take such turn will be
gratifying 10 many republicans, it is
said. outside OF the close corporation
of managers. men who are interested
in the success of the republican ticket
at the polls more than in the personal
fortunes of candidates.
Preliminary Campaign TO Continue.
This does not mean that efforts in
behalf OF particular candidates will be
abandoned. On the contrary. it is ex-
planned il means that honest-to- good
ness candidates will renew their fight
for delegates. but the fight must be
Naged along different lines. 1t hence
forth will become necessary for a
kind of toulouse canvass OF
prospective delegates.
You go to the convention unin-
structed, you see, hut way down deep
you will favor So-and-So.' will be the
word passed around. That is all right
as far as ii goes. some politicians
say, especially as il will work to the
end of making the convention more OF
a party affair and less of a personally
conducted holiday for some individual
but il has its limitations
The fact is. many republican lead
ers are saying to each other. no ont
of the men whose name has beer
mentioned for the nomination ha,
thus far succeeded in capturing tn,
popular imagination. This has beer
demonstrated in the various feeling
out processes adopted by the man
ayers. in close observation of tn,
daily press and in other ways
Indication of Popular Sentiment.
Here is a little thing. a veritabl,
straw. but classed as indicative o
the general feeling; some of tn,
movies" throw the faces of candi
dates on the screen. Any one VIII,
has been present when this has beef
done will recall how unresponsive tn
audiences were. There would be ;
little handclapping here and there TO
individuals. about fftyfifty, but n,
real demonstration for any one.
Take il in general conversation will
people AROUND about town. The ex
preston will be heard more fire
Ouently than anything else, We'll
none of these men seems to be set
ting the river on fire. do they?" AM
it's the truth. The same thing. how
ever, may be said as well of the mel
mentioned for She democratic nom
nation
las matter OF fact" said an oil
politician today, the two men VIII
are actually being talked about most
discussed most, damned most. if yo
will, are William J. Bryan and Her
bert Hoover. At any rate they ar
getting talked about, and create feel
ing either holly hostile or warml
favorable. and that is something"
To get back to cases, the prospec
that the favorite son movement ha
gone blooey" will be hailed with rea
satisfaction. it is declared far an
wide among republicans. and especial
v those who are 1nclining to an indie