The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-06-11
FREE DELEGATES
CONTROL BALANCE
OF PARTY POWER
Backers of Each Presidential
Aspirant Watch First Ballot.
Gen. Wood Claims Additional
Strength After Secret Poll.
HOOVER FORCES ARE SILENT
Food Cars Supporters Make
No Claims for Their Man.
He Will Be Real ozark Horse"
to the Very End.
HOOVER FORCES ARE SILENT
Food Cars Supporters Make
No Claims for Their Man.

Chicago, June 11.-Anmosities of
the platform battle swept away by
the roar of affirmation which wrote
the Republican creed for 1920 into
history as delegates to the national con-
vention gathered early today to fulfill
their chief duty and name a presiden-
tiaI candidate.
Who would receive this highest
honor in the party's gift was as
much on the lap of the gods as ever.
Field marshals for the big three"
Wood, johnson and Lowden, expressed
confidence. They made no specific
claims to more than the votes pledged
to their candidates by primary action.
The balance Of power still lay with
the more than 500 uninstructed dele
gates Despite days of missionary
work among them. lieutenants of the
leading candidates had learned little
of their state of mind. 1t remained
for the first ballot to reveal any de-
cisive drift of sentiment among the
rank and file of the party.
First Ballot Merely Preliminary.
When the first ballot is recorded
and it's half and Quarter votes tabu-
lated, workers for the various candi-
dates will have material on which to
work intelligently. On the next vote,
favorite son strength will begin to dis
appear, the delegations their duty of
courtesy done being free to join in
the fight on candidates possible of
nomination. Then will begin the
trading and dickering that oils the
wheels of a political convention to-
ward the ultimate choice.
The second ballot is certain to show
some changes, always proving that
the wholly unexpected development of
not made further voting unnecessary
From the second on, step by step,
strength of the leading candidates
may be expected to wax or wane until
either a deadlock occurs or one of the
| trio energies as master of the situa-
ton.
| Dark horse movements spring out of
deadlocks. Up to the time the con-
vention assembled today, there was
every indication that a triangular
deadlock among Wood. johnson and
| Lowden would be shown on the first
dark horse promoters had been busy
thru the night, planning and working
| in order to be prepared to attempt
coup when an opportunity came.
| Wood Claims 800 Votes.
Out of these activities and also of
| the vigorous maneuvers of leaders and
| lieutenants of the leading candidates
| Wood supporters affirmed that he
would show strength in excess of 800
on the first ballot. Some placed it at
J $50 and it requires 493 to nominate.
| Previous Wood claims had not ex-
| ceeded $50. The source of the expect
ed additional SO or 100 votes was not
disclosed by the claimants.
| Lowden supporters also were active.
| They asserted that they needed only
the adherence of a strong eastern dele
cation TO the Illinois governors stand
ard to put him over. 1t was an open
| secret that they were flirting with the
| big New York representation. pledged
| to Nicholas Murray Butler at the out
| set with some known Wood strength
| in its ranks: but the ultimate action
of the majority as yet undecided.
| johnson Backers Active.
Johnson supporters were very active
| openly during the evening hours yes
/ terday treating the convention camp
to a trace of old time methods in the
way of bands and banners and a
stump oratory at the curb. What they
were doing otherwise toward torpedo
! ing rival booms without warning was
not so clear. They made no claims
! beyond asserting that the Californian
would show a steadily growing
strength as the balloting proceeded.
! Dark horse activity was very deep
! beneath the surface. Workers for
| Governor Sproul of Pennsylvania, for
| Butler, and darkest of them all for
| Charles Evans Hughes were reported
as comforting and negotiating, but