New-York tribune., 1920-05-28
Former Manager Declares
He Broke With General
Because Latter Insisted
ON Appeal to People
Campaign Likened
10 Plattsb,1rg Idea
Declares Frick Opposed
Candidacy and Politics
Was Tabooed at Dinner

From The Tribunc's Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, May 27.-John T.
King, Republican National Committee
man from Connecticut and former man
ager OF the Presidential compaign of
Major General Leonard Wood, testify
ing to-day before the Senate sub-com-
mlttee investigating pre- convention cX
pendlturcs, came to the defence Of Gen
era Wood and completely shattered the
hopes of the anti-Wood forces who had
expected sensational disclosures that
would discredit the Wood campaign
Mr.. King, who started the Wood
movement and who left the organ
ization after differences with Gen
eral Wood over the conduct of the
campaign, was called by supporters of
Senator Hiram W. Johnson. They be-
lieved that Mr.. King would give testi-
mony that would end the generals
chances for the Republican nomination.
Instead he denied all the rumors and
gossip that have linked General Woods
name with big business.
Mr.. King frankly admitted that his
break with the general came last Janu-
ary because, 2s manager of the Wood
organization, he he'd insisted on
quiet "wire-puling' campaign and
General Wood had insisted on publicity
and nation wide campaign in the
open.
Wanted to Go to People
In other words. he said, General
Wood wanted to take mis- candidacy to
the people and he had dcmandcd
that 1t be left with the politicians.
For that reason, Mr.. King said, he re-
tired from tha( management, after
serving for eleven months.
Dan r. Hanna, of Cleveland, and
William Loeb, former Secretary to
President Roosevelt. approached hin
IN FEBRUARY, 1919, about a month
after Colonel Roosevelt's death. and
ment to make Wood President, Mr..
King testified. He said he met Gen
eral Wood for the first time at the
Harvard Club in New York and after
two or three conferences consented to
undertake the management of the cam
paign.
Mr.. Hanna agreed, Mr. King told the
committee, 20 raise campaign fund
of half million dollars, to be used
over period of eighteen months,
and stipulated that in case Ser
g candidate for President no campaign
in behalf Of General Wood would be
made in Ohio, the Senator's home
state.
Raised $4,000 on Own Note
Mir. Hanna turned over no funds to
him, the witness said, but from un-
named sources Mr.. King obtained $50.
600 in contributions. In the cleven
months Mr., King spent $91 900 by d!'.
counting his own note. He was in debt
S1l 600 when William Loeb arranged to
take care of the note and debts, he said.
Colonel William Cooper Proctor paid
them.
The whole Wood movement, said Mr..
King, was really a Plattsburg move
ment from the beginning. All the men
with the Wood campaign, with the
exception of himself, we're P.atts-
burgers.
The question of finance was never
discussed in the presence of General
Wood, the former campaign manager
testified. Mr.. King said that he kept
no account Of expenditures and that
he had spent what money was available
while he was in charge according to his
own ideas of running campaign:
The final break came between him
self and General Wood, Mr.. King said,
because he (King) had opposed a ma
tlonal committee, the opening of ma
tional headquarters and the extensive
use OF publicity in organizing wide
spread movement in behalf OF General
Wood.
AS to what has happened since he
retired Mr.. King said he knew moth
ing "When got through, | got
through" he said
Two of the startling disclosures"
which the johnson supporters had con-
fdently expected Mr. King would make,
but which he exploded, were the charge
that at the inception Of the Wood
movement a smah group of rich men
subscribed 8 million dollars 10 finance
the campaign, and that this was done
at dinner given by the late Henry
G. Frick, the steel magnate, in his New
York home. Mr. Fricb, the witness
said, was opposed to General Wood as
candidate, but the two men were old
time friends.
While he was connected with the
Wood campaign Mr.. King declared that
Continued next pasc)