Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1920-02-26
HITCHCOCK, BRYAN FIGHT 10 CONTROL
 VOTE IN NEBRASKA
Interesting Fight Between Democratic Leaders
 Is On

! Omaha, Neb., Feb. 25.-G. M. Hitchcock, United States Senator from Nebraska, administration lead- CT in the Senate and acting minority leader, wants the Democratic noni- nation for President. Petitions to have his name placed on the Nebras- ka Presidential primary ballot are now being circulated.
 Nebraska's other candidate, W. J. His friends say his petition will be Bryan, also wants the nomination. placed in circulation in a few days. If Bryan does not want the nomina- tion for any other purpose, he wants it in order to keep Senator Hitch cock from getting it.
 Nebraska Democrats are expecting to see regular Kilkenny-cat fight over the Nebraska endorsement, with Senator Hitchcock on one side and Bryan o1l the other. The ultimate prize may be the Democratic nomi- nation for President
 Hitchcock First in Race. Senator Hitchcock is the first 1 Democratic candidate to get in the game. The filing of his name in the Nebraska primaries is the first se- rious move made towards the nomi- ation by any Democrat Half a doz- en Republican candidates are in the field, but Senator Hitchcock is the only Democrat, so far, in whose fla vor an actual move has been made.
 The Hitchcock candidacy is ex- pected to bring squarely to a head the issue in Nebraska as to whether the party shall stand behind Presi- dent Wilson in his championship of the peace treaty, or desert his lead ership and virtually repudiate his efforts to bring the United States into the League of Nations.
 : The Hitchcock people sprung a mine under Bryan when they started circulating Hitchcock petitions for the presidency. Under the "courte- sy to a favorite son" system, no can didate from another state will in- wade Nebraska against Senator Hitchcock. Bryan must sit idly by and see the state go to his deadliest rival, or himself become a candi- date. In the latter case, he must face Hitchcock at the polls He has already done this three times, twice in the race for the United States senatorship and once for delegate at-large to 9 Democratic national convention. And three times he has been defeated by Hitchcock.
 Speculation as to Attitude. Decided loss of prestige would fol- low defeat for the presidential delegation by Bryan at the hands of Senator Hitchcock. While Bryan's close friends say his. petition for the presidential nomination will be cir culated in the very near future, many local politicians believe he will take a back seat and will not per init his name to be filed.
 But Senator Hitchcock will have to fight for his delegation. The del- egation may be instructed for Hitch cock and yet be Bryon delegation to such an extent that after two or three formal ballots for Hitchcock 1 it would desert the Senator in a pinch That is what Bryan did at Baltimore when, at the crucial mo- ment, he deserted Champ Clark, al though his instructions were for the Missourian.
 The Bryans, w. J. and his brother, c. w., are forming a slate of dele gates to the national convention. Their candidates for national com mitteeman has already announced his candidacy. They even had the temerity to offer place an the con vention slate to Senator Hitchcock himself They expect to have full state ticket in the field.
 Committeeship Alignments. The Bryans' candidates for nation al committeeman is w. H. Thomp- son. The Hitchcock candidate will be Arthur Mullen, the present. na- ticnal committeeman. Mullen is member of the National Executive Committee. He is staunch Hitch coke supporter and will have the Hitchcock strength behind him, as Thompson will have the full strength of the Bryans in his fight for mem Der of the committee.
 Everything indicates that Senator Hitchcock will have the Nebraska