Evening star., 1920-04-25
BY n. o. MESSENGER.

BY N. O. MESSENGER.
Chairman Hays Of the republican
national committee, in his talks
here last week with republicans
of all factions concerning the pre-
liminaries of the national conven- 3
ton, including the friends Of the
several candidates for the nomina-
tion and some Of the principals.
laid emphasis upon one PROPOSE
tion. which was:
That the republican national
committee, which hears In the first
instance the claims Of contesting
delegations, is determined to de-
eide each case upon it's merits.
'let the chips fall where they
may" to quote his own words and
certify the findings to the commit
tee on credentials.
Exact justice will be done," he
said, "and in so doing, within ten
days after the convention, the
rancor of the contests will have
subsided and our troubles will be
behind us. Men do not bear a
grudge for being defeated-only
for being cheated. as they think"
All the candidates are assured
of a fair deal at the hands of the
national committee. It is known
to be fact that the candidates
have implicit confidence in Mr..
IJoyy -; ;n1i In,
nomination fight. He has the
trust and esteem of them all. prov
en- by the knowledge which Is gen.
eral that no matter who is nomi-
mated, Mr.. Hays is slated to be
chairman of the national commit
tee for the next campaign.
There will be no steam-roller
proceedings in the hearing for con-
testing delegations nor in the de-
cisions of the committee in this
year 1920. Somebody will of ne
cessity- have to be disappointed.
but they will be able to temper
their chagrin with the knowledge
that they had fair treatment in the
first stage Of the contest.
x X
Senator johnson and Gen. Wood
dIG HcH tldSSCd oS hSCh
and neck in the presidential race.
Senator johnson having made
rapid gains upon his chief oppon-
ent. This weeks primaries in Ohio
and New Jersey will show further
developments. The fight between
the two is taking on a renewed as
pect of asperity and bitterness.
Their supporters are coming to
II. xl ,x~t tar,n b.,
recriminations.
In this phase, and with It's bear
ing upon the future. republicans
who are not committed to the. can
didacy of either. but intent pri-
marily upon throwing their sup
port in the decisive stage to the
man who. in their opinion. would
make the most desirable candi-
date at the polls in November, are
discussing with great earnestness
alternative candidates and possi-
BILE dark horses"
x * X X
The neutral and unbiased political
writer, at the risk of seeming en-
will find it his duty to record the fact
that there is a considerable element
among republicans who hold inf1uerl-
tial positions in the party. decidedly
opposed to the nomination Of either
Gen. Wood or Senator Johnson. 1t
is known that some of the republi-
cans who have lent sympathy and aid
to Senator Johnson have done SO
with deliberate intent to use him
against Gen. Wood, not, however, ex-
Meeting Senator Johnson to get the
nomination himself.
If Senator johnson took cognizanc
Of this situation, he may have har-
bored the grim thought that these
gentlemen may find themselves hoist
with their own petard: that the john
SON movement which they fostered
might get beyond their control and
sweep him into the nomination de-
spite the fact that they had their
fingers crossed when they wished
him well. Indeed. there are evil
dences that some such idea may now
be disturbing the equaninity of these
wellwishers themselves-that is, the
wellwishers with reservations"
+ 4 X X
The Wood supporters are now
engaged in calling the attention Of
all other republicans to what thew
charge to be Senator Johnson's an
mail to the radical elements of the
e,untry. They allege that he is