Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-06-05
Wonder if Presidential Tim
ber Will Provide Even
Raft for Party.
SENATOR MOSES ATTACK
ON COMMITTEE A SHOCK
Johnson Issues Warning Against
Subordination of Party Prin-
ciples to Candidates..
BY n. 0. MESSENGER.

CHICAGO, June 5.-"Out Of all this
presidential timber, will there be
enough left to make a raft for the
party?" was the sarcastic comment Of
a national committeeman from a
western state this morning. as he
surveyed the daily layout OF crimina-
tion and recrimination by the fac
tional feudists. Most Of the candi-
dates seem to be trying to outdo each
other in beating themselves for the
nomination as well as leaving the
party in bad shape"
The ,committeeman's statement,
while Exaggerated. was not altogether
wide. of the mark. Many republican
leaders here feel very much the same
way, and are deprecating the bitter
spirit Of factionalism which grows
more rancorous as the convention
meeting approaches. Senator Moses,
the fiery young senator from New
Hampshire. did not pour oil upon the
upon the republican national commit
tee last night His arraignment of
the committees work on the contests
and the charges of steam rolling"
came as distinct shock to every one
after the solemn asseveration of
Chairman Hays. speaking for the COM
mittee. of its intent to decide the con-
tests on their merits. A storm of in
dignant protest from republicans out
side the committee. as well as in 1t,
followed, and Gen. Leonard Wood. in
whose behalf Senator Moses spoke.
, found 1t desirable to issue statement
expressing confidence in Chairman
Hays.
| Discussing Yelled Threat.
Today the politicians are discussing
| the veiled threat of Senator Moses OF
| possible combination of the Wood
and Johnson forces, to pick the cand1-
date, but the general belief is that
such a deal is unavoidable. The feel
| ing between the Wood and Johnson
| men is thought to be too bitter. grow =
! ing out of the contests in the prl-
maries, to permit of their ever agree
| ing upon a candidate. Senator John
son is aware of the friction engen-
! dered over the candidates. to the
| subordination of party affairs and is
! sued a warning note.
! He said: There is cne very sinsu-
| lar thing. and that is this that l am
apparently the only man in this cam
paisn tbut perhaps / ought not say
| so) but, SO far as l am aware. | am
the only candidate who is thinking
of the platform, and l am thinking
of it because ! am thinking of re-
publican success. l want this repub-
| lican party to do the job after this
! war 1 want il to be the party of
| reconstruction, the party that rep
resents all of the people. and the party
that finally brought the country into
the situation it ought to be brought
after a very. very great conflict.
feel rather hesitant upon commenting
on this from personal standpoint when
apparently my friends on the other
side are thinking upon candidates.,
and while l admit. Of course. the
candidacy is a very important part Of
this convention for this party. never
theless. I feel that quite as important
as il is it is more important that the
entity of party be preserved, and tha<
it accomplish the great work that it
ought to accomplish; the great work
has come after this war as it came
after the civil war
No New Light on Situation.
The gossip of the day about candi-
dates sheds no new light on
the situation The political wiseacres
still claim that Gen. Wood will be at
least a hundred votes short of a
majority when he reaches his upset
figures; and the men inside the or
ganization still claim that Lowden
on account of his second choice stand
ing with delegations in both the
! Wood and Johnson camps. continues
to hold his strategic position. Sen
ator Miles Poindexter and Senator
Harding are in the field today, both
expectant of their day in court when
the three leading candidates become
deadlocked. The groomers of the
dark horses are moving in mysterious
ways their wonders to perform, but
there Is little interest in their activ-
tiles Senator Lenroot is being talk
Ell ABOUT quietly and Gov. Sproul OF
Pennsylvania very vigorously as dark
horses.
The Sproul boom is likely to take or
considerable impetus in a day or two
1t is thought influential politicians
in the New York delegation discour-
aged talk of Charles E. Hughes, and
so do many of the national commit
teemen. The Hughes suggestion
comes entirely from without his owr
state.