Evening star., 1920-06-02
WOOD AND JOHNSON
FORCES ASSA|L|NG
L0WDEN POSITION
Illinois Governor Believed to
Base Strength Upon Sec
ond-C Choice Votes.
JOHNSON GIVES CRYPTIC
FORECAST OF BIG SPEECH
Old-Line Managers Assert Decision
of Chicago Convention Must Be
Made in Cold Blood.
By n. o. MEssENGER.

mduC LII VOlQ olOOQ.
By N. o. MESSENGER.
CHICAGO. June 2--sheIl Lowden
out of his intrenched positionr is the
slogan of the Wood managers and the
Johnson campaigners, as the two
camps open up a determined assault
upon the Illinois governor, now dis
covered by them to hold a location
of high strategical value.
1t was only within the past three or
four days that the other candidates
began to apprehend the formidable
position of Lowden. Up to that time
Lowden's showing in the primaries
had not alarmed them. He was low
man in the number of delegates cred
tied to him.
Later inquiries revealed the fact
that many delegations, generally ac-
| credited to other candidates, were
honeycombed with sentiment favor
the nomination of Gen. Wood 10 b.
lieved unlikely by most of the poll
ticians, and the nomination Of Senator
johnson only hope at present, logic
ally the second choice man suddenly
| doomed up as the opponent to be
feared and to be dealt with.
Methods of Attack.
so they are gong dIteE AoWueH
and going after him hotly.
The Wood people are working like
| beavers to stiffen up their forces, to
hold them against detection TO a sec
ond choice candidate.
A section of the johnson support IS
assailing Lowden along lines designed
to disparage him, to attach scandal or
Ipre-convention campaign expenditures
to his candidacy. with the object OF
arguing that it would hurt the party
in the elections. and thus prevent his
nomination.
Senator johnson himself is not at
tacking Lowden. On the contrary. he
is maintaining friendly relations with
him and refraining from unkind com
ment. In speech at Pittsouren ias'
night he is quoted as saying he want
ed to cherish all the friendships pos
sible for use later.
The Hearst newspapers here are do
ing the most Of the attacking of Low
den. Mayor Thompson is openly sup
aid in, the raid on LoWden IN his own
way. He - also expectaA to throw
his eighteen Cook county votes in the
convention to Jbhneon on the drst
ballot. and thereby undermine Lowden
The Hearst Newspaper crusade
against Lowden is on in full force.
The morning edition today carries
several columns of the testimony yes
terday before the Senate committee
| souri,. The banner headline in big
black letters sayss Buy Loye
Votes. With subheads such as Took
Lowden Gold" the article in the lead
is adroitly worded to intimate that
Lowden bought the Missouri delega-
ton. All Of that is expected to have
weight with the uninstructed dele
gates to the convention and to wean
away the Lowden second choice"
strength.
Evidence Of Resentment.
The cautious politicians who may
be classed as neutral say that this
line of procedure may hurt Lowden.
but they question whether it will
help johnson, considering the source.
Let it be stated as fact without
bias or ulterior motive that there is
already considerable resentment
against Senator johnson among the
influential republicans on account OF
the supplying of democratic campaign
material by the Senate committee, for
which his friends are held response
ble The effect of this resentment
has been felt by his managers here. The
question is whether it will not be ac-
centuated and aggravated by the at
tack on Lowden by Hearst and
Thompson, and that also charged up
against Senator johnson.
It has been intimated that senator
Johnson. in his Auditorium speech on
the eve of the convention. may shorten
sail on his radical speeches and hug
the shore more conservatively, so as
not to ALLEVIATE entirely MS conserve
tive friends in the east. A statement
given out from Johnson headquarters
says on this point:
What Senator Hiram w. Johnson
has to say at the mammoth RAINY TO
be held in the Auditorium Theater on
the eve of the convention wlii be
determined by the events OF the next
few days, according to the Johnson
leaders now in Chicago.
The only word that has come con-
cerning the most important OF MS
campaien speeches is that il will not
be along the same lines as his talks
during the campaign
Two interpretations.
The rather cryptic statement is sus-
ceptible of two interpretations. the poll
ticians said today-one that 1t may De
a threat that he will go after his op-
ponents more vigorously. ana the otner
and more accepted construction that ne
intends to tighten up his conservatism
and show the delegates that he is not
the radical he has been painted
The Johnson demonstration Is TO reach
its maximum on the eve of the conven-
ton S assembling. IL VIII iheA n eidS ~
set effort of his campaign. with only
one more stroke to be made, the attempt
to stampede the convention itself for
him. which will be exerted at a psycho-
logical moment during the convention
proceedings.
The neutral politicians and old line
managers are quite aware of the
Johnson program, and are settling
down to await the onrush of .he John
SON shock troops. OF course. until
the bulk of the uninstructed dele
gates arrive. direct from the people,
bringing first-hand reports of the ef-
Sect OF the Senate committee testi-
mony. they cannot forecast tie out
come of the balloting for the can
didate. They are determined. how
ever, to try to prevent a johnson
STAMPEDE, with the aid of tho feeling
aroused over the campaign expendi-
lures or the putting of johnson over
by rushing the delegates off their
opportunity to look all the caros over
before making decision.
Decision Will BE In Cold Blood.
IL. when that time comes. they he
,ieye that Lowden could not win in
nobody will take tina, de-
cislon with better grace thar Gov
Lowden himself and his leaders But
il will have to be the decision of the
in cold blood. the old line
managers say. rather than the ver-
dict Of stampeders in the heat Of en-
thusiasm and passion Of antagonism
aroused by entirely obvious methods.