Americus times-recorder., 1920-06-10


Thursday was to give the resolutions
committee chance to report, that
being the next order of business.
That was all there was on the sur
face, quite uneXciting.
But beneath the surface the fierce
est battle that has been waged in a
national convention in generation
is raging. The battle involves not
only the issue of who the candidate
is to be but also, and of even more
Importance from the standpoint of
the port leaders, it involves the issue
of the future control of the party.
Three groups, all apiy led, have been
fighting for control ever since the
party leaders and delegates gather
ed here. Roughly, they are the Old
Guard, or more properly the sena-
torial group; the New Guard, or
group of middle western machine
politicians, and the radical group
headed by Johnson and Borah.
Johnson Eliminated.
About the only thing that any two
of the three groups had in common
was the determination of the two
first named that the party should
not go radical. This meant that
Johnson and his democratic bed-fel-
low, Hearst must be killed off, what
ever else happened.
sThe result has been that Johnson
cannot be nominated, even though he
has many powerful personal friends
among the two other groups, par
ticuIarly the senatorial group. If
Johnson still thinks that he may be
in the running he is the only man
in Chicago who knows what is going
on who is of that opinion.
The battle, then, has narrowed
down to a duel between the Old
Guard and the New Guard-the sena-
torial group headed by Penrose,
Smoot, Lodge and Watson, and the
middle western machine political
group which centers about Chairman
Will Hays and the members of the
national committee conferences are
being held day and night among vari-
Gus members of these two groups
The wiser heads among both groups
realize the Importance of not carry
ing their fight so far as to lose con-
troll of the convention anl thus give
the radicals chance to pick it up.
There are evidences that the Old
Guard have abandoned their original
idea of trying to nominate reac-
tionary candidate. The New Guard
have convinced them that such a
candidate might not be elected. The
New Guard was all set to nominate
Lowden and, while not wanting him,
the Old Guard would probably have
accepted him but for the Missouri
Doodle expose. They are now in
sisting that Lowden be dropped be-
cause he would have, to maize a de-
fensive campaign and the democrats
might win. The New Guards hate
to give up Lowden, but it looks as
though they would have 20.
Some Problem Faced.
The problem which conf:onts the
two groups that together control
enough votes to swing the nomination
is this: To agree upon a candidate
who is not personally Objectionable
to the leaders of either group, who
has a good enough public record to
make his election reasonably. GER
tain, and who can be relied upon to
share party leadership with the
senate group and not challenge the
political leadership of the Hays
group.
1t is some problem. One by one
the candidates are being subjected
to the acid test. Wood smells strong
ly Of gunpowder and Doodle. They
are afraid he would be defeated.
Too much Doodle about Lowden
Johnson too radical and too extreme
on the treaty. The Old Guard have
urged Knox and Sproul the New
Guard. are afraid Knox would be weak
in the west and they don't know
enough about Sproul to be sure Of
him. Also he is too close to PEN
rose to suit them. Coolidge is not
enough of national figure. He's
all right for vice-president though
and may get that. Hoover's name
has been brought forward at prac-