New-York tribune., 1920-06-08
Twenty five Massachu-
setts Men Expected to
Join After Compliment
ary Ballot to Coolidge
Johnson Red Fire
Fails to Impress
Demonstration l. caves
Delegates Cold; Belief
General or Dark Horse
Will Get Nomination
By Carter Field

OoOAiCO SAoA pay tO-udy. Az CLG
meeting of state delegations there
were evidences Of much greater
strength for the General than had
been anticipated by the leaders. The
delegates freshly arrived have not
been attacked by the anti Wood virus
affecting some Of the leaders who
have been on the ground mulling
over the situation for a week.
Senator Lodge, of Massachusetts,
for instance, told his friends he
would go to Wood on the second bal
lot, after voting once for Calvin
Coolidge. 1t is expected that Mr..
Lodge will take not less than twenty
five of the Massachusetts delegation
to Wood.
New Workers. on the ground have
been figuring that q majority Of the
Empire State delegation would go
to Lowden. At the meeting of the
delegation it was evident to those
canvassing the situation that Wood
would eventlly get majority of the
eighty-eight delegates.
Lowden Boom Flattened
The Eastern leaders seem to have
finally convinced the group which
has been willing to take Lowden that
his nomination is impossible. Not
all the Lowden men are convinced,
of course, but some of the important
state leaders necessary to put the
Illinois Governor over are COM
pletely solid on this.
This situation has drifted back to
where it was many months ago, Of
Wood against the field, with all the
leading figures against him eliminated,
thus making 1t Wood against a dark
horse.
Hiram Johnson made his great spec
tacular drive to impress his popularity
and strength as vote getter on the
convention tonight at huge mass
meeting and overflow meeting at the
Auditorium Theater, across the street
from the leading headquarters hotel.
There was a vast crowd, brought by
bands, liberal advertising, including
front page boxes in the Hearst papers,
and all kinds of publicity. There were
also thousands in the crowd who were
anxious to see Johnson. At any rate,
the theater was packed and the crowd
flowed up Congress Street to Wabash,
cheering its nero to the echo when he
appeared.
Delegates Not Impressed
But the demonstration left the dele
gates cold, and the leaders even colder.
Most Of them have been to conventions
before and know just how significant
such demonstrations are.
JohnsCn's friends are enthusiastic
abou. the public attack on Governor
Lowden by Mayor William Hsie
Thompson, of Chicago, and assert the
Mayor will take twenty-four votes out
Of the Lowden column. The Lowden
people will not discuss any figures pub
hcly-and have refused to do so for
they said privately the Thompson loss
or twelve delegates.
More bitterness, almost is developing
over the fight for chairman of the
resolutions committee than over the
Presidential contest Two prominent
Indiana newspaper owners, Delavan
Smith, Of "The Indianapolis News" and
John G. Shaffer, who owns a string of
seven papers, have served notice on
Senator Watson that he should retire
from the race in the interest of ex-
State Senator Ogden Mills, of New
York. Their intimation to Watson
ena ne uia not retire they
would oppose him for ADDICTION as
United States Senator this fall. WIT
son sent word to them that they could
take a run and jump up in the air, and
he has gone after the fight with every
weapon he can command.
Watson and Hays at Odds
Incidentally, there has been bitter
row between Watson and Chairman
Hays, it being charged by Watson's
friends that Hays got behind Mills for
two reasons~one to check Watson's
power, and the other to advance his
own Presidential boom. They charge
that Hays will be strongly backed for
the Presidency, if the occasion should
become opportune, by William Boyce
Thompson, of New York. who has been
closely associated with Hays in the
the Republican party by small SUBJ
scriptions. instead of the old method
of limited number of large checks
, from wealthy hackers of thx partk
Both Indiana editors are Scloss