Evening star., 1920-06-01
Strategy Is Expect
ed as Candidates
Guard Reserve
Votes.
FIVE BALLOTS
MAY SHOW DRIFT
Big Demonstration for
johnson Is Expected;
Rivals Confident.
BY n. O. MESSENGER

BY n. o. MESSENGER
CHICAGO. June ALI the arts.
strategems and devices of political war
fare are being employed by the lead
ers and followers of the seekers or
the presidential nomination.
Ambuscades. masked batteries, con-
cealed reserves, camouf1age and lure
are all being made to serve a purpose
That purpose for the present will be
for each candidate to try to induce
the other fellow TO make the fullest
showing of strength. while he himself
does not fall lamentably behind. and
meanwhile is able to keep his prin-
cIpal strength in reserve.
This is especially true of the Low
den campaign plan. Lowden's hope
of success lies in his reserve strength:
that is to say. with the men in many
delegations who. while attached to
the booms of others at the outset,
Yet have Lowden in mind as a pos
sible ultimate choice entirely agree
able to them.
Gen. Wood is under the necessity
of making a tremendous show at the
beginning and yet not utilize all his
vptes to the extent of showing a pos
sible falling off on the following two
ballots. Senator Johnson must poll
a. good vote on the first and second
ballots, exceeding that of Lowden, or
will Immediately lost prestige. and
yet he will have to retain some to
come along and build up his total on
the succeeding ballots.
Maneuvering ON Third Ballot.
When the third ballot is being taken
the contending armies will begin
their maneuvering. There will be
swift changes of front by various
delegations: splitting of the vote in
them and ALLEGATION of units to this
kot 10 i0 yyAt
tain that Lowden will swing in his
reserves even on this ballot His
managers are quite wary of the dan
ger of doing this. unless it would
bring them close to the coveted ma
jority. for IL he should show loss
paign would be endansersd. II 10
thought that possibly ave ballots may
be required to indies the
convention ID drifting.
This however, is looking a little
ahead OF the story. for there are
to be taken before that hour arrives-
1t Is referred to only that by vision
ing the ultimate methods to be adopt
led the significance of intervening
plays may be clarified. -
Proof Against Stampede.
Is there danger of stampede at
the beginning of the convention? The
old political managers say NO" They
insist that special pains have been
taken to select in the main delega-
tions which are proof against stam-
pede. Outside of the Wood camp. the
framing of the delegations has been
largely in the hands of trained poll
ticians, who have been at work for
more than a year. having in view the
prevention of a stampede. and leav-
iEg the delegates free to make the
choice after full consideration of all
the elements involved
The Wood forces may disintegrate,
but they are not likely to stampede
in a body, because they are consti-
tuted outside of the rank bull mooSers
of so many political elements. Sena-
tor johnson. of course. will make his
principal play in an attempted STAN
pede. He is coming here in person
Eext Thursday and a wonderful
demonstration is being planned in his
behalf. designedsto create enthusiasm
for him.
In this program, and his opponents
appreciate that he is proceeding along
psychological lines that menace their
own interests. The point is this:
Everybody realizes, and frequently
the fact is commented upon, that
tential Senator Johnson is the only
one who gets a rise" out of the pop
ulace, the only one who stirs audi
ences to wild demonstrations. Gen
Wood. Gov. Lowden and Senator Hard
ing are not built that way and dom,
operate that way. The Lowden cam
paign has been just the opposite; il
has been conducted among conserva.
tive. thoughtful republicans, and sc
has Senator Harding's.
Johnson's Appeal
All right. But here viii be severa
hundred delegates uninstructed, and
perhaps, scores of them uninfluenced ir
favor of an ultimate choice. These are
the lads Senator johnson is after HI
intends to win them by his vivid per
sonality. appeal to them by his elo
quence. and through the magnitude o
the demonstrations to be staged seek t
impress them with the idea that he i.
the popular choice. and is the man O.
the people who can carry the crowd.
10 the polls for the republican party
His opponents are not disposed to wnis
tie his campaign down the wind. The,
see its possibilities.
In the big demonstrations here. he ii
to have the aid of Mayor Thompson
who controls Chicago. The physical con
tribution of the mayor to the johnson
plan has potentiaIties. but the mora
effect of the mayors support of John
son is calculated to be to Lowdens bene
fit. 1t is intimated that the mayor i
10 put on demonstration which will b
dramatic and startling
That Senator Johnson is rankin,
under the charge. which Is one of tn
chief weapons of his opponents tina
he els too radical" Is evidenced b
the circulation here of a forecast o
his Philadelphia speech. in which h
defines his own admitted brand O
radicalism. As stated by him. 1t is, o
course. the choicest form of altru ism
wary. But Not Afraid.
The old line republicans here, thos
in the Wood following. the Lowde
and Harding following. and in the hard
boiled old guard as well, are wary c
Senator Johnson, but not afraid @
him. They think he will have shot hi
bolt with the climax Of a gratifyin
demonstration, the casting of his up
set strength on the third or fourt
ballot, and that then his delega
tons will begin to run to cover unde
the banner of the prospective winner.
No republican of experience, or {
vide acquaintance with the party oil
Ranization and the drift OF affair
outside of Senator Johnson's own TO
lContinued O. PaES Z C6zimR -