The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1920-07-17
Inside Story of White
House Telegram On
Cox Told By Lawrence
ny DAVID LAWRENCE
tcopyrtRnt BY Tho 1ntenlreneer.)

Washington JULY l6.-Th" wilson az
rrinistratton. meaning thereby the lntIu-
rr,.r Of the White House. was not '\''
Used in opposition IL the nonhnal'o ..
Governor Cox, but on the contrary an
incident occurred which had great uea,
IN do with the landslide in the nha4
moments Of the san Francisco c"nNe"-
ton.
ON returning to washington, the VIII
er has verified a story when went !"c
rounds OF tho state delcSAuouS ~ S% 80
Francisco in the last moments OF Nc
ballotinE and which influenced some
who had been holding out for McAuo" o.
Ioin the bandNagVn for Cox. AS report
ed on the floor Of the conNehti0h ''e
story was not exactly accurate. out as
b,pDens IN such moments or eNcltcmehl.
4 word of mouth story gets variety OF
versions BY the time II ~ repeater oH
floor Manager. workers ara over {"
thuslaStic partiSans. ,ha
floor of the convention was that Senator
Carter Glass had received telegram
from the White House saying COX was
NOT unacceptable TO the President. OUT
that the Virginia senator REUSED 20 srsS
out the telegram because OF the ADVERSE
effect II might have on NcAdoo y cn"nI-
IS for the nomination.
The Inside story
Now. the facts arc these; senator
Glass did receive 4 telegram from so
retary TumultE sent az the express ~,
rection Of President Wilson. II happened
mis- WAY: The New York newspapers
quoted senator Glass as having said IN
san Francisco. Cox won't 90 Tor INV
ad,ninistratiou" These stories we're
allied 20 the attention Of tho president
ly Secretary Tumulty. who was prompt
lv authorized 10 send message To Scna-
Tor Glass appriSing him that eastern
newspapers EVIDENT! were couU'I''ue
the President % participation IN con-
h. a ~ n n
iutely neutral The message WAS sent
~ a matter Of information TO Senator
lass but with 1t went the suggestion
from the White House that or course
these stories must be untounded. Tor me
President WIS NOT saying that SnEpodS
vas unaccc ptahlc to him
senator Glass promptly wired Back
hat he had been miSQuoted ny IN" news
"a ScrS and that in his conversations
win reporters no had merely expressed
his nersonal preferences and was predict
ne that Cox would not win. He ~ re
norted TO have remarked that even II
TX got a ma jority there was the Clark
precedent al Baltimore 10 prove that ne
might not win after all
rhs white House Statement
Tho White House has no impression
that the Virginia senator tried l" com
NIT the President 20 position OF OPP
position to CcX'S nomination. From thiS
and Senator Glass on the one hano
working for McAdoo and men like Vance
Mccormick working for Palmer were
eNnressinx their own convictions. Both
had and sui have the confidence Of the
PreSidant but plenty OF friends OF thI
PrcStter- wcre involved in the tight as
for instance Senator Pat Harrison. OF
Mississippi. one OF the staun"hcSt
friends the president has ever had in
congress. who not only seconded Cox
nomination but worked like Trojan Tor
him or tho floor Of the convention.
Secretary TumultSs interest in cal
ing the Presidents attention 20 tho
newspaper reports was 4 consequence OF
persistent inquiries on IN" part or news
nAper CORES pondcnts AZ the White
House who insisted that IN the absence
or some word from the White House the
Inference would BE- justified that tho
quotation "CoX won't do for the admin
'Stratiun" was correct. The only thing
he Presidents secretary could do was 10
rrter the matter 70 the President who
directed first that the statement be is
sued which wen out on IN" sunday night
before Cox was nominated and along
with il the telegram 10 Senator Glass
rcfutinS by Inference the idea that Cox
was unacceptable.
This series Of comments and facts
clears up situation that has given rise
Ia all sorts Of speculation outside Of
Washington wher" the impression has
nAeu fostered IN many quarters that tho
President was opposed to the selection
Or Cox and preferred either Meade" or
Palmer. The fact that the president
even before COX won out or was con-
Fedcd the victory. took pans to retute
4 report that put COX on tho side OC the
INSTRUMENTATION forces j. cited here
rs sufficient proof OF tn" Presidents sim
rority IN opposing tha. candidacy ~ Cox
when he was once chosen by tho Demo-
National convention.