The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1920-05-06
Big Leaders Believe
Third Party Certain
In Coming Campaign
By DAVID LAwRENCE,
,copyrtglt BY Ths lnteuiS encer.)

WASHINGTON. Z. e.. May Both
Republican, Aat democrats whose IN
suence in The. respective parties - con
trolling and who's. political judSmCnt IS
usually accurate now are convinced thAt ,
a third party IS inevitable. }
Primary results in california where
Senator Hiram johnson has defeated
Herbert Hoover har" accenuatCd inc
lines of political strength as the I'm"
for the two big conventions apprCachCS'
Republican senators friendly u senator
johnson concedc that he cannot pc no'ni-
mated at Chicago. They say he lS ho' /
really radical but behind him are groups
OF voters whose support OF the iicpuo-
lican ticket is not SO much based upon
a conversion TO Republican doctrine as
il is upon personal fondncSs for Hiram
Johnson. To permit johnson to be nomi-
mated would insure the domination OF
these elements. something which IN"
conservative leaders Of the Republican
party do not welcome.
johnson or Nothing.
But TO fail to nominate Johnson means !
a possible detection and third party. !
The California senator himself may h'
persuaded TO remain loyal to the party !
but his following will not stay. IT'S
Johnson or nothing with them. And
preparations already are under way for
a third party composed or some OF the
clements which broke away in lSl2 and
formed the Progressive party. some or ,
the radicals who like neither the Repuo-
lican or the Democratic parties. voters
controlled by the chain OF Hearst news
papers and the numerous groups VINO
are irrcconcilably opposed To the ratln-
cation OF the peace treaty even with re.
servations Many of the supporters OF
the third party would be drawn from
the Democratic ranks II looks Tor ln-
stance as If the Democratic convention
will not nominate q radical OF the
Bryan type. MeSSrs. McAdoo. Cox and
Palmer who are in the lead for the
Democratic nomination are more or less
conservative. They all favor the treaty
and league Of nations. Disappointment
over the failure of the Republican or
Democratic conventions respectively TO
would compel their supporters TO turn
elsewhere. They would be welcomed
with open arms in third party.
Conservation Preferred
The Republican leaders themselves
would prefer 10 60 70 the country TINS
tiv ethan q candidate with taint OF
radicalIsm that might cause the bulk OF
The nations voters L. Turn 10 Demo-
cratic conservative. Republican leaders
and conservatism in domestic and for
clgn policy are demanded this time anu
that the day Of experimentation in gov
ernmcnt and quasi-Soc!al!Stic theor!zing
is gone While some Of them fOresee
big party, they do not fear II. They are
honestly convinced that there are more
Republican voters in the country than
Democrats today and that the formation
Of third party would draw almost as
many Democrats as Republicans ana
when those elements had been subtract.
cd from both parties the resultant
strength OF the Republican party in
each OF the important states would still
be sufficient TO carry the electoral votes
Tor the Republican ticket.
Hopin1 FOR Another 1919
But IN the Democratic camp. the fore
cast OF a third party is accompanied by
sense OF Jubilation and expectancy.
The Democrats are basing their hopes
on what happened in 1912. They think
a third party means an easy victory. or
course. they are assuming that Hiram
ralse the cry OF fraud" and the fami!-
Jar slogans OF 1912 and bolt the conven-
tion and start 4 third party The
imagine a dominating personality IKE
Roosevelt will head third party and
that johnson will be the nominee. The
Republican leaders will make every et-
fort to keep Johnson in line and while
they think a third party is unavoidable
they will try to prevent Johnson from
leading il.
So FAR as the Republican leaders are
concerned they are satisfied with the
conservatism Of Major General Wood
and Governor Lowden. Either one
would do. The victory OF Johnson. in
California doesn't disturb them Tor they
regard the votes for Hoover as a re-
Election Of the conservative sentiment
a..
hare. moreover that in San Francisco.
where Johnson's vote was so large. anti
treaty Democrats voted in the Repu5ii-
can primaries by thousands. This view
IS confirmed by O telegram just received
by the writer from a trustworthy source
in California which reads as follows:
Claimed ny Both
The Democrats were split about hfty-
Nifty between Hoover ana Johnson. Both
sides claimed them but Johnson through
superb organization got away with the
majority OF the Democratic vote.
Most Of the Hover vote came from the
women and that class OF people VINO
have not In the past paid so much direct ]
attention TO politics. Behind Johnson
were Milton X. Young. formerly chair
man fine Democratic committee OF
Loss Angeles. Joseph II. Call. Joseph
Scott. Tan Irish leader hitherto in the
Democratic partyl ]. o. Snyder. tht
last Democratic candidate FOR lienten-
ant governor. all OF the Hearst Demo
Gratis and Senator Phelaps Democratic
lleutenants in and around San Francisco.
the latter because OF an agreement on
the part Of johnson 10 support Phelan >
reelection for the senate.
There is no strong Republican can
didate running 70 rthe senate and
Pheian had made good for California
So there Is relatively little Republican
radicaIism in California according :"
the judgments OF leaders here and they
arc proceeding on the theory that a Re-
publican conservative must be nomin-
ated.
The booming Of Senator Knox. OF
pennsylyanIa by his astute colleague.
senator Penrose isn't a passing fancy OF
that veteran politician. II Is shot
ACROSS the bow OF the Johnson ship. Mr.
Knox Is an irreconcilable opponet OF tho
treaty He stands on eSatcly the sams
ground as Senator Johnson. He has
denounced tho treaty as too harsh and
cr,tsi upon Germany. II the Republican
Convention should be confronted by the
Tohnson followers with a demand for a
stand on the treaty such as johnson
haa takcn Philander c. Knox, former
secartary Of state would be offered a.
the typification Of the Johnson view
noint. Lowden and Knox or Wood and
Konx would be strange combination
ror president and Nlce-preSident on The
neace treaty. nobody would for NOM
nnf call him 4 radical. He il tria'l
and true conservative with record in
Repubflcanism that Is unouestI"ned. Tn
,hird party is coming. The game now =
10 keep 1t a. n place for tn" protest
vote the disgruntled Democrats. tho
radicals and other elements whose az
nuIsition by the Republican party might
be embarrassing. Tho Democrats arr
t.kinx renewed hope. The Johnson vote
smells a split TO them in the ranks of
tSeir foes. Five weeks hence the con-
y.ntions will tell the tale-and there
probably win be a third convention.
MANY rND1crED.