Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1920-04-15
Daily
Editorial
Digest
little Appld for U. S. Pat Off
Edited by the Washington
Feature Service
DAVID LAWRENCE, Prest.
DOES THE MICHIGAN
PRIMARY MEAN ANYTHING?

A primary expresses "the peo-
Pies choice"--if you win. II you
lose, the result can usually be ex-
planned away by analysis of the
figures. The recent primary in
Michigan, in which Senator johnson
won an unexpected victory, is cap
able Of various interpretations
1T establishes the fact that Mich
igan does not want a military man
as candidate" declares the Omaha
Daily News Gnd); it has given a
severe Jolt TO the ambitions of Gen
eral Wood and his followers"
agrees the Port Huron Times-Her-
aid Gnd0; and the Brooklyn Eagle
end. Dem.) announces that Hiram
w. johnson of California has wiped
the long green lines of Leonard
Wood off the map"
That long green" reference is to
the charges made by Senator Bor-
all, acting on Johnson's behalf, that
the Wood campaign was too heav-
ily financed by big business and fl
nancial interests. Many opinions
think this was the deciding factor.
Thus the Raleigh News and Observ-
err DEM says Michigan has turn
ed its back on barrel politics" while
the ST. Louis Star Uud) adds:
Senator Borah's charge came
Immediately after a Michigan Sen.
etor had been found guilty of vio-
lating tie federal corrupt practices
act. This accusation by Senator
Borah, and General Woods failure to
meet it, tended to make General
Wood the symbol OF Newberryism
in the presidential race"
The Cleveland News (Rep.) thinks
this result proves that in a great
Republican state tie opposition to
the peace treaty and the League of
Nations is more violent than most
students of public sentiment have
judged 1t to be-" and the Rochester
Democrat and Chronicle (Rep.) says
the Michigan primaries, on a limit
ed scale, correspond to the great
and solemn referendum TO which
the President expressed so much de-
sire 10 appeal" The New York
Tribune (Rep), however. does not
believe the treaty figured much in
the ampaign-which leads the New
York American Qnd) to remark
that this lis an unfortunate alibi
for 1t proves that the people are
so indifferent TO the League as to
want for President its most determ,
ined antagonist"
1t occurs TO the Minneapolis Jour
nal Qnd. Rep mat the vote illus,
trates some OF the possibilities OF
soldier influence" and the Journal
adds
Michigan troops were sent tc
Archangel in Northern Russia, aga
inst their viii, and Senator John
sons vigorous work assisted in hay
ing them recalled. These returned
service men and their friends show
ed their gratitude for the Senatcl
by getting out and working for hinI
largely influencing the result"
Another issue was Johnson
'radicaliem" which by his support
ers is termed ''progressivism o
liberalism Every hyphenatet
enemy OF the treaty voted for him,
dc c,arcs the Fort Worth Star Tele
an A+44s irfNaL4sf ZIG Now 1 VI
Times tind. Dem. says the paci
fists and pro-Germans voted as they
telt while the war was going on
Johnson se5 the nearest approach
10 the things they stand for" SINH
larly. the .Atbauy Argus Qnd. Dem.
holds that The Johnson victory re
suited largely from the radicalisn
in the cities" while the Rock 5
and Argus tDeml sums up tn
same point of view in a phrase
"Bolshevism does not approve o
militarism, and that explains wha
happened to General Wood Th,
latter journal adds.
Michigan, teemlng with Boisbt
y-ism. returned a plurality for Sens
tor Johnson -. Wayne county, il