Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1920-06-06
Campaign Leaders Probably
Will Carry Several Fights
On Delegates to Committee
On Credentials.
GENERAL EXPRESSES
CONFIDENCE IN HAYS
"Steam Roller" Talk Add;
Much to Noise and Confusion
Of Last Days Before Formal
Opening of Convention.

Chicago, June S.-The probability
that Wood leaders will carry several
delegate contests to the credentials
committee was announced by Maj.
Gen. Leonard Wood today.
81 do not know what contests
will be appealed to the credentials
committee" said General Wood
"But there probably will be a num-
Der of them. We are simply pur-
suing our right in this respect"
Asked whether he considered his
statement last night on the action
of the national committee at yes
terday's session as a reputation OF
the statement of Senator Moses,
General Wood said:
II am not repudiating anything
Senator Moses issued his statement
and | issued mine. They stand as
separate statements. Senator Moses
issued his statement for himself and
l issued mine for myself, but Thave
not repudiated in connection with
either statement"
Speaking of southern states, Cen
cral Wood said:
"I think some method OF pro.
cedure should be definitely pre-
scribed as to the situation in the
southern states. l believe by exer-
cising little care in advance these
constant squabbles and contests
from the southern states cold be
eliminated. What we are after is a
strong representative republican
party. However, l. understand that
the national committee has this
matter under consideration"
Three Ring Finish.
Disagreement Of Woods munag-
ers over whether the republican ma
tional committee has been steam
rolling" his delegates has furnished
the incident which was needed to
wind up the republican convention
preliminaries with three-ring
finish.
Although Senator Moses. one of
the generals managers, has de-
nounced the decisions of the COM
mittee which has seated Lowden
delegates over Wood contestants as
"steam-roller" procedure, Gen.
Wood himself has followed it up
with a personal statement express
ing confidence in the fairness of
Chairman Hays and disclaiming any
belief that the committeeman are
permitting their personal prefer
ences as to candidates to enter into
the decisions which will determine
the character of delegations.
Steamroller talk hasn't appeared
in the preliminaries since the cele-
brated Taft Roosevelt contest OF
1912 and it adds to the noise and
confusion in which the uninstructeo
delegates, so to speak, are having
some difficulty in locating the band
wagon.
Many Elements to Disturb.
There are several elements which
contribute to the support of predic-
tions that it is going to be a regular
cld-time convention. Four years
ago on preconvention Saturday
everything looked pretty tame
Charles Evans Hughes was as good
as nominated, although it was not
generally known, and the atmos-
phere was placid. Today there are
dozen little whirling eddys, each
loaded with possibilities of develop
ing into cyclonic proportions.
Many steadying influences which
guided the prelimiaafies of four
years ago are absent now, and a
good many new dement's which
make for confusion are present. In
the first place the majority of the
delegates are uninstructed, and al
though, as is generally the case, q
majority of them are anxious to
hoard some band wagon, there does
not appear to be any. There are
several vehicles ready to be rolled
cut, but the horsepower doesn't
seem TO De 1uODluLtu DIS yet dHo
everybody seems to look to the pos.
sibilities that some of the horses
may be dark. Moreover, the dele.
gates who will have to- contribute
the votes to nominate the candidate
seem to be having .'ttle real infor.
nation so far as to the starting
roint of the procession, although
they are being Invited in half z
dozen different directions.
Leader is Lacking.
Then there is the absence of the
steadying influence Of the old time
leaders who have hitherto been able
to guide the destirfes of the con
vention. The bosses who speak with
a note of authority seem to be alb
sent, and, although the incoming
delegates are willing to be led they
don't find any considerable party
being personally conducted in an.
one direction. ... ...#
About the only thing that every
body seems to be agreed upon is tina
no candidate is going to be nomi
mated on the first ballot and from
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