Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-09-23
JOHNSON T0F|GHT
FOR ANEW PLAN IN
PICKING CANDIDATE
Senator Has Not Forgotten
Happenings at Chicago He
Did Not Like.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

'ACnAMENIO, Call1., september
2S.-Senaor Hiram w. Johnson may
be out stumping for the Harding
Coolidge ticket, but he has not for
gotten what happened at the repub-
ncan national convention in Chicago
last June. and just as soon as this
campaign is over the California sena-
tor means to lead the fight for a re
vision OF the methods by which can
dldates for the presidency are chosen.
Hiram Johnson has the notion that
the people ought to have something
to do with the nomination for the
presidency, so that the public shall
not be confronted with choice be-
tween inferior men. He thinks that
and democratic. And, while he is
expressing no opinion about the per-
sons nominated in the last conven-
tions of the big political parties, he
Is inclined to the belief that the pub
lie would not be much worse of, and
perhaps better OF. if they tried the
primary system instead Of the con-
vention method.
Might Tell Story.
The California senator might tell
an interesting story about what took
place at Chicago, if he were disposed
to do SO. He could, for instance, re-
veal the absolute pledge given him
by other leaders at the Chicago con-
vention, that when the rest was
taken on Saturday afternoon it was
with the understanding that an op-
portunity would be given for all con-
cerned to agree upon man that the
progressive wing of the republican
prty could support wholeheartedly.
But. except in so far as you might
emphasize the point now and then,
the controversies of the last conven-
h
Johnson's aim is to get law passed
by Congress that will establish pres
idential preference primaries as some
thing more substantial than they are
today.
The spectacle of both parties nomi-
primaries. while the expressed wishes
of the people in several states were
completely disregarded, will leave
johnson in the background for his ap-
peal. And when he goes campaigning
for Harding in Oregon, Washington,
will take occasion to call by name
some of the individuals who were
elected in the primaries and failed to
carry out their instructions at the
republican national convention.
Public men have tried before to
bring about the choice of presiden-
tial candidates by direct vote of the
people. but have failed. Woodrow
Wilson gave pledge in his first mes
sage to Congress that he would try
to secure the end of the convention
system. Indeed, 1t was his belief that
the question Of one or two terms
could be best handled by the people in
a presidential preference primary
rather than at national conventions.
His suggestion was that conventions
choice of the people in the primaries
and to write the party platform. Moth
ing came of the plan, as the congress
sional committees before whom an at
tempt was made to frame legislation
insisted that such law would be un-
constitutional, as the Constitution
gives the several states the right to
determine the methods by which their
preferences shall be expressed.
Senator johnson, however, will not
let the academic objection of consti-
tutional difficulties dissuade him. The
amendment is needed brings no relief.
for it takes a generation to get a con-
stitutional amendment adopted.
Skies Up California.
Mr.. johnson has sized up the Cali
fornia sentiment very accurately when
he decides to tackle at once the ques-
ton of choosing the presidential
the people in discussing Harding and
Cox.
While the McAdoo democrats are
working tooth and nail for Cox and
while the Johnson republicans are be-
ing urged by their leader to support
the republican standard bearer be-
cause of his expressed opposition to
the league of nations, fundamentally
there is disappointment over the Sc
lections made at Chicago and San
Francisco. No more opportune time
could have been chosen to make an
ho rnnUantiOn n,
and Hiram Johnson proposes to start
right in when he gets back to Wasn-
ington in December.
Northern California presents per
picking situation politically. San
Francisco leans toward Hardlns. II
ter. The region in the vicinity of Sac
ramento shows more friendliness to
Cox and they talk of carrying Cali
fornia for Cox.
Indeed, much more optimism ABOUT
Coxs chances in California is to be
found in Sacramento, where he made
a splendid impression when he spoke
last week. than anywhere else in the
state.
Of course, Sacramento has wet in
clinations, and many OF the vets are
planning to support Gov. Cox.
The league of nations has been
stanchly defended by the Sacramento
Union and vigorously opposed by the
Sacramento Bee. So opinion may at
least be divided on that question. The
majority Of the San Francisco news
papers, however, cover northern Cali
fornia, but the southern end of the
state is this time stronger for the
league of nations than the north. So
in the next few weeks, though if the
election were held tomorrow the state
would go for Harding.
Copyright. 1927