Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-06-11
HIRAM 0UTWITTED
BY 4OLD GUARD"
LAWRENCE'S VIEW
Discrimination Possibly
Prevented" GentIemen's
Agreement" Here Recalled.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
CHICAGO, June 11.-Everybody won.
nobody lost. That's the only interpre-
tation which can be placed upon the
unanimous adoption Of the plank in the
republican national platform. with re-
spect to the league of nations. Every
body won except possibly Leonard Wood
and thereby hangs a tale. 1t has much
to do with the future Of Hiram John
son and much to do with the fortunes
politically Of Gen. Wood.
GentIemen's Agreement.
Back in Washington. all the senators.
including the group of irreconcilables led
by Senators Johnson, Mccormick and
Borah, made gentlemen's agreement
that they would not favor the treaty and
Wilson league in Chicago. But former
Senator Murray Crane. who wasn't a
party to the agreement insisted on an
affirmative statement favoring ratiflca-
ton of the peace treaty with proper
reservations" He almost won his
fight. He had a majority with him. but
threat from the Borah-Johnson group
that they would carry the battle to the
floor caused the board Of strategy, who
are running this convention. to take
serious counsel as to what might be the
effect, first. Of johnson victory on the
league issue II he made an impassioned
speech, and, second, what might be the
effect OF Johnson defeat IL the dele
gates instructed for the California SEN
ator were released Certainly, II Mr..
Johnson won his fight on the platform,
they reasoned that he would be the
logical nominee of the convention for
President. And, he lost, the delegates
previously held by johnson would flock
to Leonard Wood as they have shown
signs Of doing Indeed. the statement
by johnson threatening to carry the
fight into each state where delegates
instructed for him might desert was a
confession OF his loose hold upon them.
Once he was eliminated by the con-
vention, however. they would really
have no hesitancy in flocking to the
standard Of some other candidate.
Now. there is a group Of leaders who
don't want to see Gen. Wood nomi-
mated. They were the ones who coun-,
seled with the Johnson forces and even
went SO far as to pledge their help
In keeping the Johnson delegates in
line. And they won. johnson holds
his delegates, stays in the convention
scars are those felt by former sena-
tor Crane Of Massa chusetts, who is
assured that when Johnson has been
eliminated and candidate is nomi-
mated. the platform plank adopted by
mated, the platform plank adopted by the
convention affords sufficient leeway
for the new standard bearer to favor
the ratification Of the peace treaty
itself Mr.. Crane was compelled to
back down from a specific statement
favoring the ratification Of the treaty
to the expression Of general princi-
pie supporting the idea of interna-
tional conferences and cooperation.
Analysis Of League Plank.
Analysing the league Of nations
plank which was adopted these fac
tors must be taken into considera-
/. Senator Johnson wanted the Yer
sailles treaty and a league in any
form under the provisions Of that
treaty denounced. He got out of it
reputation Of the covenant drawn
| by Wilson, but no fat statement that
the purposes of international CO.
! operation vaguely expressed in the