Evening star., 1920-03-03
BITTERNESS MARKS
c. 0. P. MEMS RACE:
FOR NOMINATION
Seen as Tending to Unin-
structed Delegations to
Chicago.
BY \. o. MESSENGER.


aspirants for the presidential nomi-
nation occasion concern in party
councils more interested in republi-
can success in November than the ad-
vancement of personal ambitions in
June.
Here is where friendship ceases"
is said to threaten to be the factional
slogan. from the way things are go
ing: another case of "the spear that
knows no brother The 'favorite
sons seem likely to become engaged
IN family row, marked by anything
but brotherly conduct. 1t is found
OF the snowballs have bricks in them.
Tends to Uninstructing.
All of which is expected to tend to
Inc sending Of uninstructed delega-
tions to Chicago to the fullest extent
possible. SO that the plan of an open
convention. now the objective of
many of the elder statesmen of the
party, may be carried out.
Their aim is to prevent any candi-
GATE for the nomination having a pre-
ponderating vote on the first ballot.
so that the convention may have op
portunity to consider the actual mer-
its of the candidates and choose the
one who would seem likely to be the
strongest at the polls.
Wood Managers Aggressive.
The Wood managers are charged
with being the most aggressive in the
alleged campaign of personal attack.
They are pictured as standing with
their backs to the wall, beset by the
combined field of candidates, and
striking out right and left. regardless
of whose head they hit or what they
hit it with.
Senator Johnson is reported as TAX
ing hand in the shilally and single
stick practice, too, being quoted in
dispatches from the west as charging
the other candidates with lavish ex-
penditure of money in the primaries
campaign. He does not specify who in
particular is this sailor. fresh from
a whaler," who is scattering the coin
Of the realm. but insists that his
own campaign is as poor as church
mouse.
LOwden's Friends Complain.
Gov. Lowden's friends are COM
planning bitterly over alleged attacks
upon their candidate. which they al
lege to- trace to the Wood headquar-
ters in Chicago They assert that
some of the literature being sent out
from there surpasses in personal VI
tuperation against Gov. LoWden any
thing recalled in latter-year factional
campaigns Thus far Gov. Lowden
has put his foots. firmly down upon
replying to them.
On the other side. Gen. Woods
friends have charged for several
weeks past that~he is the object of
personal attack. attributed to the
rival claimants for the nomination.
Early in the campaign the Wood peo-
pie were charged with having large
fund to expend, and they have had
to combat the allegation in several
states.
held Play Checkmated.
The bold play of the Wood man
ayers to attempt break in the Low
den ranks in the governors own state
has been promptly met and check
mated by the Illinois delegation in
Congress The Wood managers tele-
graphed to the individual members an
invitation to join the Wood movement.
The entire republican delegation in
the two senators. thereupon
telegraphed the Wood men that their
Invitation lis offensive to every mem
Der of the delegation and told the
Wood people to back up
The Wood camDaigners are going
after Senator Harding in Indiana and
Michigan. while seeking to under
mine Lowden in Illinois. They have
abandoned North Dakota to Senator
Johnson For the present they are
middle west and prairie states, hav-
ing been advised that they can ex-
pect to make no headway in the east
until they show definite strength in
the west.
With Harding and Lowden reach
ing out for the old-line republican
vote in the middle and western states,
and Johnson courting the Roosevelt
and progressive sentiment. the Wood
managers are said to he finding them
selves in hard row for stumps.
johnson Making Headway.
Senator Johnson. according to re-
ports received here. has made signal
headway in North Dakota, and this.
too. despite the fact that he dis
ayowed the bipartisan League, so
strong in that state. Before enter
ing the state ne gave out an inter
view hotly resenting the charge that
he was.in sympathy with the extreme
doctrines of the League.
The reports say that his magnetic
and the courage and VIgor
of his utteranceS won MIN frlends.
and that he has addressed capacity
audiences. making Il favorable i'm
preston.
Political managers take note of the
fact that while the middle west and
far west are stirred and narrowed by
the rival candidates. there is notable
over any one in the states east OF
tbe Alleghenies. which appear to be
in a kind of "show us" state of mind.
rhe fact is declared to be that the
eastern republican leaders have
XaI defined plan of sitting tight and
watching the curvetinsS and p1tch-
ngs of the western broncho- busters
New York Sets the Pace.
Now York state has set the pace. by
refusing to line up for any particular
~ and;date in advance of the convention !
is keeping step and the
same sririt is pervading New England- Z
The south is expected to send unln- /
Il tructed delegations. though not entirely !
without candidatorial predilections. The !,
result counted upon and desired is to
,ave the balance of power in the con-
vention uninstructed and free to throw I.
It's weight in the balance for the selec- |
ion of a candidate who may lead the |
party to victory in November.
The elder statesmen in the party's |
councils have one desire at heart con-
try to keep the progressive I
and Roosevelt men from becoming !
in the nominating contest.
rhis element is regarded as still set
IN hair-trigger.
They know that the democrats realize
his. and that even now President VIII
,on is longingly lingering the trigger.
For this reason, if none other. the re- !
publican leaders are regarding with dis
nav the outburst of personal animosities
among the candidates for the nomination
md the possibility that they may breed
,esults which will entail serious con-
sequences in November
Skeleton Mystery Is Solved.