The Washington times., 1920-07-10
THIRD PARTY SEEK.
T0.L|NE UP LABOR
New Political Unit Born at Con.
vention Trying to Unite
All. Factions.
from First Page.)

(Continued from First Page)
the nomination OF candidates Will not
take place until Monday or Tuesday.
As the delegates gathered In the
hotel convention ball today, the .names
OF proposed candidates most In evi-
depce were those of senator LaFol-
iette and Henry Ford. There also
was apparent strong backing for
Glenn e. Plumb, Frank A. Walsh
and Ames Pincbot. - - a. '
LA TOILETTE WAITING.
Inquiries made. at Madison. Wis.
Friday night by the international
News Service as to whether Senator
La Toilette would consent to become
the Third Party candidate brought a
statement from Robert La Toilette.
jr..s that the Wisconsin Senator lis
still considering the matter. and can
not give an answer until twenty-four
hours, Or possibly longer"
1t was indicated that Senator La
Toilette will withhold his answer to
the Committee Of Forty eight pend
ing attempts of the latter TO. bring
complete harmony into the Third
Party movement and coalition Of all
groups concerned. .
Hotel Hobbies. conference rooms, and
headquarters of varied organization
leaders seethed last night and today
with political activities, gossip, and
executive confabs as the preliminartes
of two rival thirS parties became en-
tangled in a mass OF complications.
MERGER Is TALKED.
Political chieftains admitted that
there is one solution-either mer-
ger of the American Constitutional
Party already represented here with
q heavyweight vanguard from the
East, and the "Committy. of Forty
eight" headed by J. A. H. Hopkins.
of New Jersey, or the narrowing
down to "a survival of the fittest."
Edward T. O'Loughlin. three times
registrar Of Kings county, New York.
and Julian B. Thomas, former Bull
Moose leader in Brooklyn, head the
Eastern delegation here, and with
representatives from all parts of the
country are lining up their forces for
coalition of Eastern, Western. North
ern. and Southern third party groups.
They represent the american Consti-
tutional party" movement.
Their leaders authorized the state
ment that overtures have been made
to- them by leaders Of the Commit
tee of Forty-eight" for a merging of
the varied organizations here to open
conventions today that will run into
the middle Of next week.
as" DENY STATEMENT.
But this statement is challenged by
J. A. H. Hopkins, national chairman
of the Committee of Forty eight"
who later denied emphatically reports
that the American Constitutional
party" has been Officially invited to
convene with the Committee Of
Forty-eight."
The american Constitutional
10
proper in the auditorium tonight to
adopt a platform and name Presi.
Dental ticket to lock horns with the
Democratic and Republican rivals. A
conference of the american Consti-
tutional party" executives was in
session last night preliminary to the
Saturday mass convention.
Chairman Hopkins gave, this state
ment out today:
1.-The Committee Of Forty eight
has had no connection or conferences
official or otherwise. with the Amer
ican Constitutional party We have
not invited it's representatives to at.
tend our convention. In fact, they
are not eligible as delegates unless
they also happen to be members OF
the Committee of Forty-eight,' and
as far. as we know, there is not a
single instance of this kind"
JOHNSON OR HEARST.
OLoughlin. American Constitu.
tional Party" ieader. declared that
this organization was formed about
two months ago by former Bull
Moose men in Brooklyn who were de-
sirous Of seeing either Hiram johnson
or William Randolph Hearst head a
third ticket for President> Of the
United States
The convention OF the Committee
of 4S' unless some unforsee circum-
stances intervene will nominate
Senator Robert NJ. LaFollette. Of Wis.
consin, to head its third party ticket.
Senator La Toilette, it developed to-
day. not only will accept the nom-
nation. but his campaign for the
nomination has been operating for
months. He has an organization on
the grounds today to direct his cam.
paign, and his leaders point out that
Senator I,aFollette now has a ma
jonity of the accredited delegates who
will vote for him.
There will be $50 votes in the
Committee of Forty-eight" and 20
are necessary to nominate.
Whether Senator LaFollette will
have smooth sailing for the nomina-
tion is question moored in the
gloom of doubt.
Henry Ford has a clientele on hand
pulling every wire to boost him as
the one logical candidate able to head
the. Third Party ticket to victory
But Mr.. Ford has directed that no
campaign organization wage any bat
tie for him, according to Charles F.
HOFFMAN, Florida member of the
Committee of Forty eight" and for
mer citizen of Michigan.
FORD ALSO WILLING. ..
'Mr. Ford is strong Third Party
man" said Mr.. Hoffman. who ia
chairman of the credentials commit
tee, "and he condemns both parties
Republican and Democratic-as reac-
tionary in their records and plat
forms. He declares that neither
Harding nor Cox measures up to that
standard required as Chief Execu
titves in this crucial period of gov
eminent. Mr.. Ford is a member of
the Committee of Forty-eight,' and
while he is in no sense candidate,
he has assured me that II the Third