Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-04-19
Willing. IfNot. Eager

casting his hat into the ring for The
presidency, General John j. Pershing fol
lows the stereotyped He Will not run away
from the nomination if it is rendered to
him, but lie will not seek it. He will not &C
out after delegates or delegations. lie will
make no campaign and create no organi2a.
ton. He is willing to sacrifice himself for
the good Of the country, but Is not bubblins
over with enthusiasm about the matter.
This seems to be the way candidates are
doing it this year. Very few of them are
prepared to admit that they will seek active
support for the nomination. They seem TO
think the high office of President of tho
United States is too solemn a. thing for any
man to campaign candidly for. Eiectioneer-
ing, they argue. is not becoming in connec-
ton with such an office, and for that APP
parent reason only Hiram Johnson. A.
Mitchell Palmer and one or two others in
either party are openly and frankly pur-
suing the prize. The remainder are wait
ing for the prize 10 pursue them.
Yet as soon az the nominations are over,
the two standard bearers will go into the
campaign game exactly 100 per cent. They
will tour the country from end to end. They
will electioneer in exactly the same gen.
eral style as does the average candidate for
sheriff. They will lean upon organizations,
hire great staGs OF press agents, send out
tons OF literature and bushels of buttons.
They will do al the things "a nominees that
they shrink from as candidates for the
nomination.
The manner OF General Pershing's an
nouncement is of infinitely less importance
than the substance of it. His statement be-
fore the Nebraska Society OF Washington
placed him Immediately in the forefront
of Republican candidates. no matter how
IN M nj % ic
many menths he has been Il potential can
didate. His home State. Nebraska. has been
booming him energetically almost from the
day OF his return TO the United States, but
actually he was not in the race until he him
self con0ded his ambitions to the Ameri
can people
1t must be obvious TO the admirers OF
General Pershing. and there are millions OF
them, that he will have little standing at
Chicago except as Il compromise candidate.
He will not he in the major league class, in
so far as pledged delegates are concerned.
Aside from few scattering votes. he will
probably receive only the delegation from
Nebraska when the earlier ballots are cast.
II the convention should tie itself up in
bowknot if it should deadlock tight and
fast and it should become evident to the
leaders that none OF the iirst-line group OF
aspirants could hope To win the nomination.
then the qualifications of General Pershing
could not fail to commend themselves to the
assembled delegates. He has great war
record. He is an International figure. lie
proved himself 10 be a splendid executive
and man capable OF dealing with vast
problems.
Moreover, the general has few enemies.
He may not have AZ many shouting, hurrah-
ing friends at this stage as he ought 10
have, military hero as he is, but he has no
liabilities that are serious TO charge against
his manifest assets. The Republican con-
vcntion could go lots further and do worse
than nominate General Pershing, and 1t
probably will.