The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-06-05
PRELIMINARIES
PRESENTING UNEX-
PECTED THRILLS
In Contrast to Convention
Four Years Ago, the Re-
publican National Con-
ventiOn Has a Dozen Lit
tie Whirling Eddies, Each
of Which Might Develop
to Cyclonic Proportion.


tween General Woods managers over
whether the Republican national con.
vention committee has been steam.
rolling" his delegates has furnished the
incident needed to wind up the Repub-
lican convention preliminaries with a
three-ring finish thrill.
Although Senator Moses, one of the
generals managers, has denounced the
decisions of the committee which have
seated Lowden delegates over Wood
contestants as steam roller" proceed
ure, General Wood himself has fol
lowed ii up with statement express
ing confidence in the fairness of Chair
man Hays and disclaiming any belief
that the committeeman are permitting
their personal preferences as to candi-
dates TO enter into the decisions which
will determine the character of delega
tions
Steam roller talk hasn't appeared in
the preliminaries since the celebrated
Taft Roosevelt contest of 1912 and it
adds TO the noise and confusion, in
which the uninstructed delegate. so to
speak, is having some difficulty in To-
eating the band wagon
There are several elements which
contribute to the support of predictions
that it is going to be regular old-time
convention. -Four years ago on precon
sention Saturday was pretty tame
Hughes was as good as nominated all
though il was not generally known and
the atmosphere was placid. To-day
there are a dozen little whirling eddies,
each loaded with possibilities of devel-
oping into cyclonie proportions.
There Is No Band Wagon.
Many influences which guided the
preliminaries OF four years ago are
absent now, and other eleI -nts which
make for confusion are present. In the
first place the majority of the dele
gates arc uninstructed, and, although.
as is generally the case a majority Of
them are anxious to board some band
wagon, there does not appear to he
any. There are several vehicles ready
to be rolled out, but the horsepower
doesn't seem to be mobilized as vet and
everybody seems TO look for policies
that mean horses may be dark. More
over the delegates who will have to
contribute the votes to nominate the
candidates seem to have little real in
formation as to the starting point of
the procession, although they are being
invited in a half dozen different direc-
jions.
Then there is the absence of the
steadying influence of the old.time !
leaders, who have hitherto been able
tn guide the destinies of the eonyen-
iion.
About the only thing that every
body seems to be agreed upon is that |
no candidate is going to be nominated |
on the first ballot and from the infor |
nation that leaks out from the various /
inner circles of the different groups II /
seems that all the managers are fgur /
ing on at least three ballots TO find out |
where they stand and make up their /
estimates on the possibilities. The 4
prediction Of many seasoned politicians 1
l. that the convention viii have its /
opening hurrah, the mplimentary
votes for the favorite sons and the bal
lots to fulfill instructions and pledges,
and that then the real business will
begin.
Big States May Pool Strength.
n the program being talked Of is
carried out, the leaders Of the delegs
tons from the larger states viii have
= conference and decide whether they
will pool their votes and. returning To
the convention next morning, cast them
for the man about whom they have
hopes Of rallying enough support 20
command majority. Whether he will
be q dark horse, or one ~ the candi-
dates nov in the field. no one assumes
to saw. becausc only the preliminary
b alioting can determine i. But. with
that as a starting point, the seasoned
politicians are quite sure there vii be
little DELAY Ia getting TO an agreement
II may develop that some one Of the
aandidates now IN the field besides
having good prospects for his ouu
nomination. vii also bold a veto
power which viii compel the compro-
mise managers e. arrept a man q
skom he approves Senator johnson
~ galifornia d. always meniioncd uhen
lhis probability % being discussed. ard
Hous of ths Praeii-s. politiciaus denies 1
fhf forrf ~ The arzf-usu-
There b sfiu anafhcr clement uhich
tdds u thf ara0ertsiuty vhieh promises
g. ruaffrrf up o. tie time the rnn-
fentirn f.rrins fn haIiCt- u is rr-