Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-06-22

vt must be apparent to all who have read
the exchange Of "pleasantries" between
DR.. Nicholas Murray Butler, OF New
York. and General Leonard Wood that
the aftermath of the Chicago convention IS
not so harmonious Candidate Warren U.
Harding Chairman Will H. Hays and other
leaders would have the public believe. The
General concealed his disappointment at the
loss of the nomination like the man and SOL
der he is, and was among the first to con-
graduate the nominee But 1t seems that
insult was added injury when DR.. Butler
came forward with public statement charg-
ing that motley group Of stock gamblers,
oil and mining promoters, munition makers
and other like persons" had backed General
Woods campaign for the nomination.
It is not surprising that this outgiving of
Dr. Butler should bring heated retort from
General Wood. Says the General: This
action of Nicholas Murray Butler is an at
tempt to ingratiate himself with certain ele-
ments which exercised determining influ-
ence at the convention, and to possibly ex-
plain his own political weakness. tt is a
self-seeking, cowardly attack, made under
cloak Of an alleged public service which was
never intended nor rendered. l regret to
make statement Of this kind, but it is nee
essary in this instance to denounce lie."
Colonel William c. Proctor, the Cincin-
natl soap manufacturer, was the chief con-
tributor to General Woods pre-convention
campaign, and certainly he is none of the
things that DR.. Butler describes in his at
tack on General Wood He is not stock
gambler, nor an oil or mining promoter, nor
a munitions maker.
The Indianapolis News, one of the most
influential Republican papers in the middle
west, remarks that the Senatorial opposition
to General Woods nomination was not in
spired by patriotic motives, and everyone
knows it. The News concurs in the view of
H01@~ Dr@o hat ioI iy1f1
ence, the same element that has prevented
the ratification of the peace treaty, was re-
sponsible for General Woods failure to OBJ
tain the nomination.
'The men who nominated Senator Harding
knew just what they wanted adds the
News land they set about in the most bust
ness-like way to get it. The job was done by
few tried men meeting in the early hours
of the morning, men who desired primarily
not so much the defeat Of General Wood as
the nomination of their own candidate, who
was picked six months ago. Butler cannot
cloud the issue with his wild charges. What
they sought was partnership between the
Senate and the White House, with the Sen
ate the senior and dominating partner"
The New York Tribune declares that DR..
Butler, who was candidate for the nomi-
nation, told two New York delegates, who
didn't take his ambitions seriously, that their
failure to support him on the first ballot
was the only thing which stood between him
and the nomination. 1.-THE public was pre-
pared to sympathize with DR.. Butler as the
victim of great illusion and of overconfi-
dence in the New York leaders who made
ducks and brakes Of hiss boom,' remarks the
Tribune. Hardly anybody supposed that his
campaign was anything but smoke screen
behind which the anti-Wood politicians were
operating. But general credit was given him
for sincerity and innocence"
The Tribune accepts DR.. Buffers attack on.
General Wood, however, as indicating that
he was fully aware of the anti-Wood manipu-
lation and was party to it. DR.. Butler has
been the spokesman and apologist for the
Republican old guard for many years, and it
appears from the comment of the Republican
press respecting his attack on General Wood
that he proposes to continue in his former
capacity.