The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-06-10
ITS WOOD AGAINST THE FIELD AS DAY
 FOR VOTIN GNEARS
tContinued from Page one)

scandal. Johnson will fight the nomi- nation of Wood or Lowden, fight it as Bryan fought the nomination cf Par ker in 1904. Johnsons issue will be similar to that of Roosevelt in 1912. the honesty of the republican party. He will probably go further than to attempt to exercise the veto power on candidates.
 date who will be nominated. So. He will try to name the candi- when he withdrayvs his own name, 1t will probably he in the interest of some other candidate. Who his
 choice will be, it Is yet impos- sfb1e to learn. rcrSaps he has not yet made up his mind. BOrah's
 talk of Hughes on Monday may not have been without significance. When Johnson picks candidate, 1t will certainly be man big enough to measure up to the presi- dency. It will probably be one not closely identified with the John son movement.
 Hughes Is the choice of a powerful senatorial group and closest associa- tions In the party with the senator. In the Senate he is stronger than here in the convention. but Hughes is only
 guess. Johnson's choice may be Gov erncr Sproul of Pennsylvania. The Johnson people have been encouraging the Sproul candidacy and Johnson has, through Knox, close relations with the politicians of Pennsylvania Besides Sproul has that big block of Pennsyl- vania delegates, seventy-six, fine nest egg upon which to found po- ; litical fortune. The names of Hughes and Sproul are only offered a s guesses Senators Knox and Harding are also possibilities, Knox being close per sonal friend of Johnson's and Harding having operated on a friendly basis ,, with Johnson during the campaign. TO FIGHT CANDIDATES Johnson will make his fight upon candidates rather than upon the plat form. For the simple reason that you
 get power by naming President and
 you do not get power by writing
 "weaseP' word into the platform. The
 form is against Johnson.
 present tendency in regard to the plat
 The delegates have come here with
 broader and sanger views upon the platform than the senators who
 brought the Indiana plank in
 their pockets. They are unwilling to give
 the League of Nations outright as an issue to the democrats. They demand
 that the republican party declare Tor some kind of league and not content it. self with mere opposition to President
 Wilson.
 The victory of Senator Watson over
  the committee on resolutions does not alter the situation. Senator Watson IS
 the author of, or the sponsor for. theN Indiana plank. Personally he is in ia
 vor of leaving the word league out or the treaty plank. But he was not chosen chairman as an indorsement of this vie"
 He was chosen chairman because he IS
 personally popular, because he IS an lf-
 slider, the most stalwart old guard figure
 Ioft Mnreoyer the election Of NILS 1l
 Chairman Hays instance would be an
 indorsement of the Hays idea of putting
 platform on policies in the hands of anna
 teurs, outsiders auxiliary members.
 VICTORY FOR REGULARITY
 The Watson victory is a victory Tor
 regularity not for pussyfooting on the
 covenant. What the platform of the
 league will be is not yet clear. But II
 will be a compromise between the Ih-
 diana idea which means anything or nothing and the idea which the major ity comes here with of declaring flatly
 for the league with the Lodge reserva-
 tions. About all that can be predicted IS
 that party will pronounce it's approval or
 some kind of league.
 An attempt will be made doubtless 10 write the declaration for league broadly enough so that even bitter enders Ike Johnson and Borah can accept it. after a fight. perhaps, but not after their real fight of the convention. Their real fight
 will be on Wood and Lowden's nomina- ton. The attitude of the delegates on
 Wood and Lowden is now pretty weii
 known. committee representing one or
 the dark horses made canvass or the entire row of delegates. No figures were
 obtainable because the position of many delegates is uncertain. Their sentiment
 is clear enough but 1t is sentiment
 which may not translate itself into votes.
 Lowden, the committee found, was the
 preference of a majority of the delegates.
 The majority would like to nominate him. buy it is not ready to say that II will vote for him. The delegates want 70
 nominate an organization their hearts have been set on this for long time, fut they hesitate about actually voting tor Lowden It is not that they doubt nus personal integrity. They are greatly ini- pressed with the charge of excessive eN- penditures But they are afraid or tne effect of that charge upon the mind or the electorate in the national campaign JOHNSON OPPORTUNITY That fear will be Johnson's opportunity when he and borah denounce Lowden for his money spending and bring forwaru candidate not similarly smirched. ihc big auditorium mass meeting held pE Johnson on Monday night had not so much the purpose or making tiie so venton, nominate Johnson as of EN'ns the delegates an object lesson of Jonh- sons power over crowds. Are the votes of such crowds worth having? DO you want Johnson to bring them 10 your ca ne.idate or do you want Johnson siien, in the campaign? Ehese are the questions Tacitly suggested by the demonstration. With regard to Wood the committee O, canvassers already mentioned reaeneu the conclusion that the convention wou.' not consider him seriously. It wants Lowden if it can make up its mind to take him. If Lowden is to be eilmlnateu