The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-05-04
PENR0SE'S COUP
REGARDED ASGOOD.
FOR SUTHERLAND.
Washington Believes Knox
Will Start With 200
Delegates.
MONTGOMERY At CAPITAL
Politicians Are Wondering
If There is a Deal
On.
montgomery At CAPITAL

Especial Dispatch to The West VirEtnian.)
WASHINGTON, May 4.-Here are
the three high lights in the West Vlr-
ginia political situation discussed by
politicians from the state who have
come here to "see" other politicians
of equal prominence in Republican
party leadership from other parts OF
the state, all of whom come to taiK ~
over with those leaders whose Official
positions necessitate them staying
here on the job while congress IS IN
session.
First-Penrose, of Pennsylvania,
getting behind Senator Knox, OF the
Keystone state, for the presidential
nomination dealt deadly jolt to the
campaign of General Wood, the man
agement OF which has not been at all
modest about claiming q second
choice" advantage for the general
with the man who, everybody knows,
controls the big delegation from his
own state to vote. Supposed wise
ones assert that the Penrose coup,
as they term it, means approximately
two hundred votes for Knox right OH
the bat" That these were the. votes
that the Wood managers considered
their reserves" to bring up at the
crucial ballot to enable the military
commander to obtain his great ob1ec-
tive-the nomination. In proportion
to the deadening, disheartening ef,
feet on the situation in the Wood
camp this latest development IN the
national struggle has caused, 1t mas
strengthened and accelerated the can,
didacy Of Senator Howard Sutherland
for the delegation in West Virginia
just that much. Whatever affects the
Wood candidacy adversely anywhere
helps the Sutherland candidacy II
any VI rate. that is the view expressed
today I M il tie capital d f BY tbe West lVir-
;gipia politicians ..--44;5s-.
Second--The Hon. Samuel B. Mont
.gomery, state labor commissi oner, one
OF the, three candidates for the Re
publican nomination for governor,
put in his appearance in the capital
this morning. He was Just passing
through, he said, and decided to stop.
It was remarked as at least a Gomez,
dence that Mr.. Montgomery should
appear upon the scene Just at the time
that other leaders had come mere.
Naturally, this coincidence gave rise
" IuuCH SpeCuAdtlOh "uS1nSA " >~
there's hen on.
Third-The least unionized-rail-
road brotherhoods, coal miners, and
in other branches-Of the six West
Virginia congressional districts is the
Fourth district, which Is represented
by Congressman Harry C. Woodward.
In the matter of its total vote It Is
more of an agricultural district than
any of the others. Yet, as 1t hapens,
that is. the district in which union Ia
Dor, railroad union labor specifically,
is showing its greatest political activ-
ity in congressional politics. The IS
sue of government ownership OF rail-
roads ("other things to follow" as
one of the union labeled candidates
expressed it,, first preference given
to the Plum plan, is embodied IN the
candidates. of three brotherhood
men, two who seek the Democratic
omination-Conner and Sorrell.-
and one who aspires to the Republ-
can nomination, Temple. So far as
the Republican nomination goes, the
party leaders haven't the least doubt
Of the nomination Of Representative
Woodward by an overwhelming vote.
Their doubt centers on who will win
the Democratic nomination, there be-
ing four candidates, the two union
labor candidates named, and Messrs.
Beale and Coberly. The latter two
are not labor candidates. and the last.
named of the two is president OF Mar
shall College. If all four stick till the
primary, the politicians say that the
outcome win be in doubt until the re-
turns are in, But the talk here today
is that either Beale or Coberly Is like
ly to withdraw. and that the two la
bor carl5i;!a:eG u1ig5t gst .ngsthsv anst
agree to do the same, II II should ap-
pear to be for the best interest Of the
cause. There Ia nothing definite to
base this talk on further than mere
surmise. Should one Of these labor
candidates win the Democratic nom
ination, then it is poitned out that
the issue Of government by class"
will be an issue II the Fourth district
as in no other congressional district
in the state, for the nomiantion OF
Congressman Woodward, as already
stated, is regarded as beyond question
by the party leaders now here. The
same is also true in the Second dis
trict. There Is a railway union man
C.vutlnueu Oh pSSs iIur.I
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