Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-04-20
Evening Ell enrae', Yesterday l40U4
Omen Race at Both Conventions.

II now seems highly probable that at
each of the national conventions OF the
two leading political parties, this year,
the field for aspirants to the nominatlon
for President will be free and open, with
no one candidate having any real adj
vantage over his competitors. 1his
situation. of course, will afford tine OPP
portunity for manipulation by shr@wd
and skill,d party leaders. especially the
Rcpublican convention which promises to
be a most inviting field for the partisan
work of the ..Old Guard" which is de-
terrnined not TO allow the influence oil the
Progressive wing OF he party TO become
potcnt. The latter will miss the inspiring
leadership Of MIR. Roosevelt, and his
successor as the chief exponent OF FRO
grcssive policies, Senator johnson oi
California, has not the personal at
tributes or the personal characteristics
to make him a leader even approaching
Roosevelt in the power to command
large and influential following.
Each convention will assemble. ac-
cording TO present indications, with
large number of delegates unbound
bv State instructions and uniniiuenced IN
advance by personal preference. Estimates
made up at the close of last week showed
that of 5O7 delegates TO the Republican
National Convention already chosen. 3i4
are uninstructed. Of the candidates with
instructed delegates, General Wood leads
with Sc: Governor Lowden of Illinois has
g: Senator johnson OF California. Al;
Judge ]. c. Pritchard of North Carolina,
IL; contested delegates, 81.
This situation will be somewhat changed
bv future selections of delegates, which
will be made TO a considerable number tins
weck-aImost TO completion for the Re
publican convention-but 1T is probable
the proportion OF uninstructed delegates
will be practically unchanged. thus,
when the convention assemblies at Chicago
there will be a fruitful and encouraging
field for the candidates for nomination
To cultivate. Their personal workers
will have more than a majority OF the
delegates among whom to exercise per-
s,iasion and importantly in behalf Of the
men they represent. And IN this respect
1T NAV become any mans fight. In the
end. however. it is expected the "Old
Guard" leaders will make the selection,
and one entirely to their satisfaction.
A little more than one-third of the
delegates to the Democratic National
Convention had been chosen by the close
of last week, in number $50. OF these
PSI were uninstructed. OF the instructed
delegates. MIR. Hoover has the 80 from
Michigan, given to him at o popular
primary despite his public declaration
that he is a Republican and would not
accept the Democratic nomination. Sena-
tor Robert L. Owen of Oklahoma has the
20 delegates from his State, and former
Ambassador to Germany James W. Gerard
Of New York has 10. which he secured at
the South Dakota Democratic primaries.
Governor Cox of Ohio will undoubtedly
receive the unanimous support OF his
States delegation, and Nice-Presldent
Marshall, although he is in no sense a
candidate for the nomination. will be
eomplimented by the vote of his State,
Indiana, until the delegation decides in
favor of some one of the contestants. OF
course. should Mr.. Marshall Unexpectedly
loom up as promising possibility. bis
State delegation would support him con-
tinuously and enthusiastically