The Washington herald., 1920-04-22
EYES OF NATION
ON CALIFORNIA
PRIMARY FIGHT
Both Sides Claim Victory
As Voting Date
Draws Near.
BATTLE Is INTENSE
Postmaster Of Politics In
Fight with Amateur
Organization.
BATTLE IS INTENSE
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little less hostile than they have
been to each other. Indeed the fact
that the twain thus cooperate is
less remarkable than that Senator
Johnson should be allied with
either. Four years ago he said of
De Young when there is city to
be pillaged. when there is a man to
be stabbed in the back. always
lurking in the background can be
found Michael Henri De Young" 1t
was at the same time that Johson |
e said of william S. Crocker, the
present Republican National Com
mitteeman for California. William
Crocker. with his inherited South
ern Pacific millions. There
is no room for w. II. Crocker. NJ. II.
De Young and myself in the same
political house"
Past Alliances Are shifted.
Today the names of both Crocker
and De Young appear in the list of
johnson delegates: it is this marked
shifting of past alliances that makes
it difficult to determine the proba-
bilities as to the outcome of the
primaries. Forces that have always
been hostile to Johnson and which
in the past he has beaten, are now
aligned with him, and because of
these new alliances some of the ele-
ments of his popular strength in
the past are today estranged.
AS an illustration of these new
Affiliations, l referred in the pres
ence of the chief johnson manager
here today to the subject of the de-
feat of Hughes and the overwhelm-
n intA Of IAA l.
in 1916. He at once embarked upon
a long explanation of which one
salient point was the fact that
Hughes had been photographed with
Crocker and De Young at the time
Of his campaign visit to this city,
and organized labor and the Pro-
gressives generally could not be
persuaded to overlook this apparent
evidence of association. But today
Senator Johnson himself chooses
these associates, places them in the
forefront of his supporters and ex-
poets that neither organized labor
nor the old Progressive element will
be antagonized thereby.
state Torn by Conflicting
Sentiments.
However into these details of
practical politics / can go more fully
later. That the State is torn by
conflicting sentiments in this cam
paign as never before is evident to
the l"rSt observant stranger.
a third at least of the Market
street front of the Palace Hotel Is
occupied by johnson HEADQUARTERS.
and the windows. perhaps the best
spot for such publicity in the city.
are filled with posters and adver-
tising devices for the edification
of the popuface. block or so
away. in a less prominent place,
are the Hoover headquarters. which
suggest a less liberal command of
ready money. In command of the
former is II. L. Carnahan, a veter-
an political worker for Senator
Johnson. In charge of the latter
is Ralph Merritt. former execu-
tive of the university, on leave of
absence for this task.
1t is perhaps needless to say that
each is supremely convinced of the
success of the cause he is serving.
| talked at length with Mr.. Carna-
han. who scouts the idea. which
seems rather common among un-
professionals, that the delegation
may he split between the two can
didates. Nothing less than a solid
johnson delegation is within Mr..
Carnahan's purview. He insists
that all polls taken by his organi
zation indicate a majority for John
son in Los Angeles. admittedly
one of the Senator's danger points.
of from 10000 to 10000. The polls,
according to this authority. were
taken in the business section of
the town. in the big office build
ings and among a class OF voters
commonly held to be antagonistic /
TO the Senator. if the majority they
promise shall be forthcoming the
stronger johnson sentiment in the
northern end of the State will
make it a landslide.
have heard no more positive
prediction of success, backed with
no more convincing array of argu-
ments. since the manager of Gen.
Woods campaign proved to me
three weeks ago that the general
would carry Michigan by an over
vhelming vote.
Carnnhan Foresees victory.
And so. turning from the i'm
pressive Carnahan. 1 sought Mr..
Merritt at the Hoover headquar-
tiers. Here. too. one can get moth |
ing but prophecies of victory. 1
should say. however, that owing
doubtless to- more limited polit- |
ical experience. and perhaps to a !
less complete organization from |
which to draw evidence. Merritt !
cannot embroider his claims with !
quite so many supporting citations. |
He Is more inclined to emphasize |
the reasons why Hoover should win |
than to claim possession of figures
showing that he is sure to win. |
His line of argument against the i
Johnson candidacy is largely that |