Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-04-08
WOOD AND LOWDEN
FORCES IN CLASH At
COZ. SESs|ONHERE
Johnson Faction Barred
From Hall, Finally Enters
and Pandemoniun Breaks
Loose-Beavers on Scene

IUUSC"DGOYOIS VII OOCIlC
One of the stormiest and most pic
I turesque political conventions since
the days of reconstruction was staged
in the hall of the house of represent
tatives at the State Capitol Wednes-
day, when Republican cohorts, white
and black, from all sections Of Geor-
gia convened, or tried to convene,
for the selection of delegates to the
| Republican national convention, at
Chicago.
Police Chief James L. Beavers, Po-
lice Sergeant Reed and corps Of
uniformed policemen preserved the
peace of the occasion, but made no
attempt to interfere with the flood
of oratory and song that rose from
all parts of the chamber while lead
ers Of rival factions strove hopeless
| ~ to take charge of the meeting.
The excitement and disorder Incl
dent to the quadrennial Republican
comedy revolved around the aspira-
tions of General Leonard Wood and
| Governor Frank O. Lowden, of ILL.,
nois. contestants for the Republican
presidential nomination.
1t seems safe to predict. in view
of the determination of partisans,
that the Georgia Republicans will
send two instructed delegations to
the Chicago convention--one instruct
| ed to vote for the nomination of Gen
eral Wood and the other to support
the nomination of Governor Lowden.
The credentials committee of the ma
tional convention will have to decide
as between the contestfng delegates.
Decided on Candidates.
Roscoe Pickett, of Pickens county,
state Republican chairman. leads the
| Wood fight He is assisted by Jud-
son Lyons, of Augusta. Henry Lin
coin Johnson, of Atlanta, is Governor
Lewden's leader, and he is assisted
bv c.. p. Goree, also OF, Atlanta. Thus,
from the leadership of the rival fact
lions, it appears that the lily
whites and BLACK and taas" are
equally divided as between the rival
presidential candidates.
.
ed a meeting of the state Repubhcan
committee Tuesday, which developed
a vide breach in the party leadership.
The COMMITTEES sought to prepare a
| temporary roll of delegates An az
tempt was made to settle every con-
test, but in each instance the losing
faction evidenced a purpose to insist
Oh it's rights hsfore the convsnt ion.
The convention wSs schedules 70
get under way ct noon. but -ong, pc
fore ten o'clock Tuesday the Wood
action, headed by Roscoe, Pickett
had taken possession of the house OF
representative. The doors were locE'
ed and none but the recognized PICK
EFT delegates were admitted. Thls
excluded from the hall hundreds OF
| negroes and some few white men,
They pounded the big doors and de.
handed admittance. but there was
nothing doing.
Chief Beavers Enters
In the meantime Chief Beavers ap-
| poared, and after a conference with
Governor Dorsey it was decided to
throw open the doors for the admIs-
sion Of poth factions Henry LINCOLN
Johnson led his faction, several hun
dred in numbers, into the hall. amid
| shouts and song. lie mounted the
rostrum OF the speaker and launch
ed immediately into an impassioned
appeal for order.
LET us abstain from f2cttonal
strife and disorder exclaimed john
| son.
Throw that niger out echoed n
voice from the floor, and from that
Ii oment pandemoniUr1 rcigncd.
johnson was, undaunted by the
interruptions and continued his
speech, while at dozen points in thu
chamber negroes and white men
stood on the desk tops and attempted
to answer his remarks. The short
and ugly word was hurled back and
forth with freedom and abandon, and
johnson charged that a Yankee
foss" had come to Georgia to buy
up the delegates to the convention.
Yankee Charge Protested
There was resentment against this
charge. which was aimed at rep
| resentative from Washington Of Cen
! eral Woods campaign.
Hes not a Yankee explained
dozen negroes in unison. HE is a
Virginia gentleman"
"Wcll," retorted Johnson. still in
the speakers chair, "the TUsEegee
rand will be at the Auditorium FIR
Gay night, and they'll play a Hot
| Time in the Old Town for the men
who control, this convention
Johnson's speech was in good spir-
it. He kept his temper throughout
the excitement.
LAS long as the light holds out to
burn, the vilest sinner may return,
chanted Johnson, whereupon the
crowd broke into song.
Lead US not into temptation
they sang, and as the notes Of the
melody. sung as only negroes can
sing, filled the chamber and rolled
through the corridors of the capitol,
statehouse officers and clerks laid
aside their pens and took seats in
the gallery to enjoy the concert.
The singing continued uninter-
rupted for ten or fifteen minutes,
at the conclusion of which Johnson
and others again sought to discuss
the situation (wlratever it was). The
occasional outbursts of feeling
usually ,subsided as quickly as they
arose.
When the hands of the clock point
ed to, the noon hour, Johnson. still
in the chair. declared the convention
to be in order. Some one moved the
suspension of the call of the tempo
rary roll and this was carried, ac-
cording to Johnson.
List Is Read