Evening star., 1920-03-24
C0MMAND|NGLEAD
YET TO Be SHOWN
BY ANY CANDIDATE
Political Observers Find No
Presidential Results, Ex-
cept Animosity.
BY N. O. MESSENGER.

Political observers in Congress,
commenting upon the results Of re-
publican presidential primaries thus
far. note the cIoseness of the vote
among the contestants. They deduce
from 1t that there is not great deal
OF genuine. hearty enthusiasm for any
candidate; that the outcome Is large
" the result Of manipulation. per-
senal canvass and individual effort Of
local managers.
The object. Of course. in seeking to
make a favorable showing In the early
primaries is the moral effect else
whers. Otherwise. the game would
hardly seem worth tho e4ndid sol
dom has there been such campaign
Of FUSS and fufor by candidates Tor
the hominAtfon DO far in advance OF
the convention 40 has been going on
the past few weeks. And this. too. In
states not considered vital in final
determination.
No One Has Strong Lead.
At that, no single candidate can be
said to have secured a commanding
lead over his rivals in the race. One
thing has resulted. however; lot Of
animosities have been developed
which may come homo to trouble the
candidates in the final showdown at
Chicago. Some pretty lusty enmitfes
have been incurred which may prove
diflicult of composure when the clans
get together and try to unite on a
candidate.
What is giving the republicans most
food for thought Is the realization
that none of their men in the field
htra
Imagination. They are all admitted
to be fine, outstanding. steady-as-a-
church tower, depe ydable fellows, and
on that score there Is but little choice
among them. To this complaint it is
sometimes rejoined that the time is
kind of candidate; that the people
are fed upon temperament.
"Oh, for a Roosevelt cry one ele-
ment of republicans. Yes. and oh,
for a Mckinley" groan another. And
there you are. Lamenting the lack
as futile for utilitarian purposes as
bemoaning the passing of John Bar
leycorn; neither type is likely to be
revived all of sudden.
Look Only to Convention.
Republican politicians who are
viewing the candidatorial contests
from the sidelines further complain
that there seems at this time disposi-
ton to look no farther than the nomi-
mating convention; that everybody ap-
pears intent upon securing the nomi-
nation Of his choice without looking
beyond and to the elections.
Time enough for that at Chicago.
appears to be the thought. Mean
while, 1t is necessary to have a field
IN oh n nj WI a
for delegates pledged to or favorable
to particular candidates. The pros
pect that large proportion of the
delegate body will be uninstructed and
Of open mind Is taken as assurance
that full and due consideration will
the cards are on the table at Chicago
and the hands open to inspection.
Stories Are Told.
But this chapter is getting too Sc
rious. Here are couple of stories of
the contest to tighten up a little. The
first one is charged to the Wood peo-
pie and, of course, hooted at by the
other side.
In the Virginia convention the 9TH
er day. which was captured by the
Lowden forces:
First old F. F: w., stroking his
goatee-"Jedge. who is this hyeah
Lowden that Bascom Slemp wants US
to vote for?"
Second old F. F. ". stroking his
goatee-"Why. that is old Maj. Lou
don Of Loudon county. one Of the best
families in Virginia. suh."
The other one-the day that New
York paper sprang the story of al
legged vast expenditures of money by
the Wood forces-a local Wood sup
porter accosted a Lowden manager.
There Is nothing to those charges"
asserted the Wood man Indignantly.
Dunno" retorted the Lowden man,
sadly. my whole star struck this
morning. SAYING they were going over
to a camp where there Is money"
WELL" came back the Wood man,
you can just issue a statement quot
ing me as saying have not seen a
cent of the alleged big fund"
"If l do" said the Lowdenite. IT
will add that you said that If you
don't see some Of It forthcoming
After which EXCHANGE ~ opoanit;oo