Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-05-08
johnson HOPE lies
IN KEYSTONE STATE.
californian Still Believes He Has
Good Chance to Win G. o.P.
Nomination
COUNTS ON HELP OF KNOX
nv CLINTON w. GILBERT
h,.0 correspondent Of the Evening Puhh'
Ledger

h,.G Correspondent Of the Evening fu"nc
Ledger
washington. May 8. - Johnson's
hone of getting the Republican nomi.
sn.t;on lies in obtaining the support Of
tbe Pennsylvania delegation to the Re
nnblican national convention. And in
,nite Of the fact that most political OBJ
scrvors here regard Johnson's nomina :
t;on as most unlikely, johnson himself
S"Still thinks he has a good chance to
Uis efforts from now on will be de :
A voted 10 strengthening his relations with
"A .ld I,enublican organization leaders and
10 disabusing the minds Of the business
interests and the conservative East
generally of the idea that ne. is a
dangerous man, and to leaving the i'm
nression that while he is, as Senator
Peprose put It the other day, from
some points of view, radical" II is
only from some points OF view. This
Il the purpose apparently of the speak :
inv tour east, which he is about to
make. beginning with Boston on May
ii and winding up finally In Denver.
In that tour Johnson will be upon his
mcttle TO tell the country what he stands
for constructively. aside from his op-
nosition 10 the League of Nations.
With regard TO Pennsylvania. John
sons line of approach is through Sen
ator Knox. Senator Knox is earnestly
j for 1ohnson's nomination and is do
4 ing all he can to help johnson. Knox
has told everybody since his name was
proposed for the presidency by Senator
feprose that he does not seek the nomi
nation, that his candidate is the Cali
fornia senator.
Pennsylvania Controls Nomination
Pennsylvania vote is always the
aim of the candidates for the Republi-
can nomination. Where Pennsylvania
goes the nomination is likely to GO
Wood sought Pennsylvania first through
John T. King who is political protege
OF Senator Penrose. When King failed
TO deliver Penrose. Kings usefulness
declined and he was dismissed.
y Wood apparently sought it again
4 through Governor Sproul during Pen =
roses illness. which provoked the dec
4 laration for Senator Knox by Pcnrose.
In 1916, Roosevelt felt that he could
get the Republican nomination, if he
|. could win over Penrose and Pennsyl-
y yania, and Penrose is said to have as
sured Roosevelt that If he could de
yelop enough strength so that the sup
y him. be should have Pennsylvania &
support. Roosevelt never developed
that degree Of strength and Penrose
was found at the critical moment sup
porting Hughes.
Nobody asserts that johnson has now
as much assurance of PenrOse's support
as Roosevelt had in 1916. But John
son does not regard the Pennsylvania
situation as hopeless. Perhaps his
hopes all spring from having friend
Of account in the person of Senator
Knox, and from the fact that Penrost
wants Johnson's support for Knox
NJ even to the extent Of taking second
place with Knox. If Penrose succeeds
in getting his associate nominated n
Chicago. At any rate, Knox is n pow
crful connecting link between Penros
end johnson.
Johnson in Better Position
Both Wood and johnson to be nomi
mated must win a certain support from
the old line leaders, and johnson is bet
ter placed to gain the favor of tn
machine than Wood is. Wood. when h.
dropped King, quit seeking the nom
nation in the good old way of makin
friends among those who have delega
tiOns to deliver. He went over tn
top like soldier. He conducted
big German offensive. He left som
corpsCs behind and great man
wounded. Wood has many enemies
johnson was discreet. Ever since h
came to Washington he has bee
strengthening his line within the Re
publican organization. When he entere
the Republican primaries this year h
TOOK great care not to under the wor
ne had been carefully dOir for thre
years. lie made no influential enemies
Moreover, he has no Hitchcock in hi
way Hitchcock is a liability for WOOD
lhe old organization does not want
hitchcock creation as President. The
DO not want Hitchcock .'uv where npa
the White House. Senator forah. i
way. is an impedi6cnt to Johnson
BOrah Is little too irreconcilable. III
wants to fight too much. But Borah /
not JohnSOn's manager II Jobnso
SHOULD be elected President, Bora
would not be Jolrfison's political rep
Icsenlativr. The politicians woul
geal with Johnson himself. He is on
o. them. lie speaks their Language
they like him. ""s'
i"e obstacles to ,IohnSon'S nomina
,,on seem inSupcrabIc but there
@m'inlng beside obstacles. There
,ne MnoN liaSon. And there are tI
,nchdIN personal relations with the hi
Wpu6llcan politicians. johnson
hpl paying an arrogant role. lie
soncll!atcY. tIN is for harmony. II
'rn Is willing that Wood. having &c
pIuralitY in Indiana should have tn
vote OF Indiana, though under the la
majority is necessary to obtain in
s srucl'onS On the platform plank wit
Csaru to the league of Nations. John
sIn was not insiStrnt with regard
p..nOraSSNo,L"sy, ..OS though it was under
b bMood that the language should
. .'oal enough for a bitter cnder
''anu easily aud comfortable upon.
Many League of Nations Planks
an ne attended senatorial confcrcn,
= Win I'iS :, subject suggested by Chairmu
,ot "" II, Hays. That conference h,
tbs vosrEbody'S typewriter clicking. A
MAJ nSIcnalorlal authors are busy writil
n%"M, nnn n, There are three main draft
"r oy Senator Lodge. by Scnat,
NJ fT'hI,lhS' thnS' and by Senator Kellogg, n
ot mem mem as long as your arm and a
lSttnem ,nem so broad that the bittcrcst
- ,'"ucrS and the mildest