Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-05-15

or
JOHNSON AGAIN.
he get away with it?

Can he get away with it?
That is the question which seems tC
interest Republican national leaders
now in regard to Hiram Johsnons cam
paign for the presidential nomination
Having gon back and forth across th'
country. touching particularly the in.
dustrial sections of the East and Mid.
die West, appealing to the s~o-callec
labor vote. attacking business in gen.
eral and being particularly bitter to-
ward Wall street, the California
senator is now starting on a tour Will
a view. 1t is announced. of placing his
candidacy before tho business men
lie wants to show that he is not as
radical, after all. as he led the country
10 believe during his Irritation with
the ranks of abor.
Johnson's ability as an orator is not
TO be underestimate. We all know
how he swept into this state and liter
ally took the primaries right out OF
General Woods hands. II johnson
can stampede business men as be did
the labor men the nomination might
as well be handed to him on a silver
platter right now.
But is 1t possible for this silver
tongued orator from the Pacific coast
to play both ends against he middle
in such a manner?
1t will be remembered that when
Senator Penrose of Pennsylvania. inc
recognized leader among time reaction
cry Republicans. launched the Knox
boom for President, the EVENING
NEWS. commenting on the extreme
f%riendliness between Knox and john
son that developed at the time, pub
Iished an editorial acking whether or
not johnson was trying to double
cross the masses who focked to his
standard after hearing him lampoon
big business. We pointed out the
significant fact that although KNOB
was closely identified with the big
steel interests Of Pittsburgh and was
recognized as a corporation mar
through and through the Johnson fol-
lowers in Washington favored Knox as
their second choice. Likewise the
Knox men were talking OF johnson for
second place on the Knox ticket.
Senator Knox, himself, during an
interview, launched forth into a eulogy
of Senator Johnson in spite of the
California senator's bitter attacks on
the very interests tina Knox stands
for.
They. too. we mentioned as signif-
cant the fact that out in California
johnson was backed by the powerful
Crocker-De Young stand-pat element
consisting of multi-millionaires and
associated with the Southern Pacific
railroad crowd which Johnson. here in
the East, was Boosting that he had
put out of business.
In view of these facts the EVENING
NENS lelt JusNiuSu III pueStiohAhe inv
sincerity of Senator Johnson in his
role as O champion of the working
mar and the enemy of Wall street.
It will be remembered, too, that GER
tain influential senators of the reac-
tionary type declared hat Senator
Penrose was premature in launching
the Knox boom because 1t brought put
all the features we have just mention
ed and could not help but create sus-
picion. perhaps spelling the excellent
campaign that Johnson was making to
secure the vote that the reactionaries
knew they could not get themselves.
But 1t seems now that Johnson has
oyer-done 1t. In his zeal to get the
labor vote he has frightened and
alienated the great conservative al
though progressive business element
by his extreme radical talk. In an
effort to undo this mistake Johnson
Is now starting out on a new tour, this
time appealing to the business man
and, needless to say. he will put the
soft pedal on the Wall street stuff. and
Of course. will ton down consider
ably In every way. He will endeavor
to prove himself safe" for big bust
ness.
But can Johnson get away with It?
Can he please both elements and salts
fy both sides? If he can he is a
wonder.
Apparently he is trying TO do this,
though. and it would not be surprising
II in the end he succeeded in pleasing
no one and lost all his friends. The
people cannot be fooled all the time
sven by a man wonderfully gifted with
the power of speech.
FAILS TO EXPLAIN.