Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-04-24
BRYANlZlNC THE G. o. P.
JOHNSON'S $ invasion

.CENATOR JOHNSON $ invasion of
~ the East and his appearance last
night in Camden give form aud en-
phasis to a novel question in minds sem
sitive TO undcrcurrcnts of political feel
ing. II is very strange question and
it is this: How far have Senator Pen
rose and other Old Guard leaders gone
unwittingly in support of movement
which tends to Bryanize the Republi
can party? Clearly there is a new
COmmoner in our midst. and his name
is Hiram And the elder statesmen,
who frowncd terribly on the Hoover
candidacy and did their utmost to dis
courage and Illustrate il. did more than
any one else to make the mercurial
senator from California candidate to
be seriously rcckoncd with.
Hoover cannot make what old school
politicians call IA big speech. He
happens TO care nothing for rhetoric.
since he knows that rhetoric. as 1t is
practiced by the big spcechcrs in poll
tics. is too often one of the fine arts of
befuddlement and pretense. Hoover is
content to be great reasoner. But
speech" without half trying. He de
livercd one last night in Camden, and
now, after comparison Of his per-
sonality and equipment witt the per
SonaIiiy and equipment of MIR. Hoover.
il is necessary to doubt the value of a
ringing voice in the scheme of govern
mCDt and to wonder whether il is half
50 important an asset as the old line
politicians would have us believe
There was more against Hoover than
his lack Of the actor 5 instinct. He in
sisted on the divine right of independent
thought aud action. He does not greatly
desire the presidency. and he has made
il plain that he will refuse it altogether
if it must be attained by display of
the white flag at the approach OF party
bOSSeS. by his very franknesS and his
refusal to pretend what he does not feel
he has managed to chill some of those
who were his warmeSt supporters.
But no one in the highet councils of
the eastern wing Of the G.. Q. =. sup
posed for moment that senator John
son way might be made easier by tho
rejection Of Hoover. That however
is precisely what has happened. Wood :
campaign has not survived against
IohnSon'S anywhere in the West
Lowdcu and Harding are little moro
than names to eastern voters and little
more than fHvorte sons in their own
territory.
johnson. like BRYAN. appeals power
fully t" tho crcdulity and the ingcuu
business of tn" Middle West But his
candidacy has background that
Bryan rHmpaign> never had the
background Of tn" war and Of its con :
sequences. Senator Hi appeals with
dplibrratiom to restless and nSurg"nt
opinion everywhere Honest aS he j..
according to his lights he is not avcrsc
to appealing to class "OuSciOu ness and
even To racial prejudice. And the Old
Guard must realize by this time thar
class consciousness. race prejudice and
in>urG"ut political opinion are not BY
any means confined to tho West.
Mr.. johnson manner in Camden
makes it clear that he hopes to hav" the
support of all dissatisfied voters in states
li)," Pennsylvania and New Jersey. as
we'll uS III" help Of all old "a a<hioned
urUgr">sivcS and the good will "f good
many people who feel only that there is
something wrong in the leadership oi
both old parties So il is worth rpmcm
boring, a. his campaign gains momcu
tum. that in lii" East aud in the West
th">" elements in hoth parties a. wei
aS til" rank and nj" W"r" eager to accept
the >tradjcr leadership Of Hoover.
IpnNpT ,,IID win hn nD1S lnu.p f,,r tL