The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-04-24
WOOD MANAGERS
 IN UGLY MUDD[E Hitchcock and Proctor Are Now Calling Each
 Other Names

Some time ago there was a little tenn the management of the Gen. Leonard Wood presidential campaign. That is a closed incident now, but while it lasted ! 1t made interesting reading matter to at least part of the populace of Alabama. That, however, was mere tempest in a teapot to what has now broken out at General Woods general headquarters in Washington and Chicago. News com ing from the north states that Frank H. Hitchcock and William Cooper Proctor, joint national managers of sthe Wood campaign, have fallen out and are call ing each other names.
 Mr Hitchcock gently refers to MT. Proc tor as "soap bubble,' while MT. Proc tor replies with the mild epithet, "po- litical juggler." It is said that the row started over the disclosure of barrel that was being tapped in the interest of the army officer candidate. MT. Proctor, who came of the scene about the time John T. King relinquished direction of the campaign had been successful in raising funds tS finance the campaign, in fact, he hae been too successful, and expenditures were constantly enlarged to the gratlfi cation of the state and sectional mana gers and other more or less influentlst supporters and boosters.
 The disclosure of the poodle fund anS it's consequent airing in Congress, follow | ing Senator Borah's demand for an in vestigation, it is said, caused the frs breach between MT. Hitchcock and MT Proctor MT. Hitchcock, practical poll tician, with many victories to his credit registered kick when the matter wa made public. -
 Publicity is not objected to by poiiti clans when it is of the sort that maker 1 @riends. but the American people hav' = Come to look upon large campaign fund.- with suspicion. Hence, Mr. Hitchcock sensing the injury that would befall hi candidate by the exposure of an enormous campaign fund, began little investiga tion. He asked embarrassing questions He wanted to know where the moneN came from and where it was going. MT Proctor, so the story goes, gently, thousi firmly told him it was none or ms pusi ness.
 Calling of names followed.
 MT. Hitchcock, when asked about tn matter in Washington a day or two ago merely asked "Who started that Joke :. It is said however, that he was visipi. disturbed by the report.
 Gen. Wood has been unfortunate In tn managers he has selected, it would ap pear His first manager was John l King. an old-tme politician, who barei got the foundation work laid when he wa deposed and William Cooper Proctor, tn millionaire soap manufacturer of Cincin natl, took his place.
 It was not long, however, until Fran H. Hitchcock entered as joint manage and he began to tear down the machiner set m bv MT. King and continued by MI Proctor.
 In Alabama ]. o. Thompson had bee selected as state manager for Genera Wood He had organized state cln and several county clubs in the interes of General Wood when Hitchcock. nc Forgetting 1912, when MT. Thompson,
 supporter of Col Theodore Roosevelt. or iosed his choice William Howard Taf They clashed then and the time for re venge having come, he bodily fired MI Thompson as manager in Alabama.
 Republicans don't count for much Alabama There are not enough of then hut the little tempest started by ther here grew and expanded and finall
 ouched the national headauarters, ther
 Q start disturbance of greater mag hitude.
 Alabama republicans who have no likin
 for MT. Hitchcock and who still nurs
 esentmenet at the manner ill which h
 reated them are extracting some COT solation out of the latest storm.