New-York tribune., 1920-03-31
Island
Delegates Lean
| Toward w Wood
b,,te Will Not Instruct
It's Representatives, but
They Will Be Ready to
Vote for the General
Wilson Party Grip Gone
Harding. Allen and Johnson
| Have Many Admirers, but
Iowden Stirs No Interest
By Carter Field
soeeat Dispatch to The Ts-bsns


PROVIDENCE, R. l., March So
I,sod. Island will send unpledged dele
...;ons to both the Chicago and San
Irrneisco conventions. The Republi-
N delegates will. it is expected, be
..nonsive to the strong sentiment for
r,..ral Leonard Wood, which has been
s.n;fested in many ways here, but,
H. their fellows across the line in
massachusetts,. they will not be pre-
t.ly the kind of men that the Wood
,s.douarters would like to select.
Surprising, in view of the utter lack
i any such sentiment in neighboring
xa.es. is the fact that Senator Warren
a Harding is regarded as strong here.
Hore uolitical observer in Providence
AID me he thought if there we're a
r..s;dential primary that Harding
.ould give Wood tremendous fight
..sd might even lead the ticket. While
las was en- extreme view, there is no
;aubt that Senator Harding has made
l.. most favorable impression on his
ftss. he has a considerable following.
in surprising contrast to the. fact
hat Harding is strong here, | found
lrore sentiment for Henry J. Allen, of
Kansas. than is apparent in any other
Eastern state. There is no organized
Hsght being made for any candidate
except General Wood. so that the
arength Of Allen, Harding and, of
l,
.ny of the usual political machinery
b impress this sort of strength on
ss public.
Johnson Made Impression
Hiram Johnson also has supporters
AIse, having made a tremendous i'm
,sssion during his New England tour
,cainst the peace treaty. His support
u Rhode Island. however, is not old
Inogressive or Bull Moose strength.
!. comes from the elements which are
H favor of killing the peace treaty
Asnd from the small number of Irish
Americans here who are Republicans.
lGovernor Lowden does not seem to be
linown at all. and apparently there is
fery little interest in his candidacy.
As ore prominent independent put it
h ne. Wood. Harding. Allen or Hoover.
Trimming on the Republican ticket. could
harry Rhode Island against any Demo
.uat. no matter how strong. Hoover
1unninc on the Democratic ticket
sould probably defeat any Republican
candidate with the exceptions Of Wood
Harding and Allen. This statement
vas agreed to by another prominent
Irdependent, with the exception that
he thought Hoover. on the Democratic
iceket, would defeat Harding.
Hoover has a tremendous nucleus OF
political strength in the 500 or 40C
Eersons who took an active part in his
bod administration here. They have
zen effective boosters for him since
ss first mention of his name for the
Residential nomination. The practi-
hl politicians, however-and they will
Hntrol the delegations to both conven-
4nns-are not strong for Hoover. Not
Auly do they want q regular party man
HIT they fear that Hoover would be
8ust as much of a dictator as wilson
Jas been.
Wilson Has Lost Grip
Hoover would be much more salts
sctory candidate to the American peo-
ae than he would be President" a
sfominent Democrat said in discussing G
bis. "1t's all very we'll to shout for a
BUSINESS man for President, and to
sge that all the politicians are crooked
md that what we really want is some
ne who is not a politician and not con-
|toled by politicians. Well, a man
annot be elected President of the
United States without huge organ
ation supporting him. Now. that may
the regular Republican or Demo
|ustic organization, or it may be a
sres Of Hoover clubs reaching from
he Atlantic to the Pacific, In which
asre is not single man VINO could
called politician.
After the candidate has been elected
3fasident he is likely to be cordial to
Zna men who carried the load and
Fought the fight for him. 1t is almost
nevitable.'
President Wilson has entirely lost
20 grip on his party In Rhode Island.
his is true to such an extent that
aany Democrats who are interested
srely in the loaves and fishes Of sue
ess and don't care very much about
ne personality of the candidate say
at neither Wilson himself, nor Nc
1900 nor Palmer, would have any
vance at all. The Democrats in Rhode
wand are more conservative than radi
a. and are extremely wet" so that