Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-06-05
Chances for Stampede
to Johnson Said to
Be Remote.
Logic Will Be Potent When
GO p. Convention Sc
lects Party Nominee.
ny DAVID LAWRENCE.

BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
CHICAGO, June 5.-Logic is an ir-
resistible force when once a repup-
ltcan national convention is assem-
bled.
Logic picked Hughes in 1916 before
1t was known whether he would re-
sign from the Supreme Court to be-
come a candidate.
Logic will select the next repub-
lican nominee for the presidency and
will reject all aspirants except
Charles Evans Hughes, William How
Mood. Gov. Sproul of Pennsylvania
and Gov. Lowden of Illinois.
These six men are committed to the
ratification of the treaty of Versailles
and covenant of the league OF ma
tionS with the Lodge reservations
and are at the same time in accord
with the conservative and traditional
1y vital principles of repubHcanlsm
Senator Hiram Johnson doesn't come
in that category OF the peace treaty
and he is considered radical on ques-
tions of taxation and other matters.
He will try to stampede the repub-
iican convention, but as witnessed in
n912 and again in 1916, the regular
republican national convention is stanl-
pede proof.
Deadlock Is Forecast.
Taking each of the six men men
kioned above and analyzinG their re-
epective chances, the arst ballots
should disclose a deadlock between
e Leonard Wood and Gov. Lowden:
mean the gradual elimination Of both
in favor of another set of contsnders.
Herbert Hoover. former Justice
Hughes and former President Taft
would profit by the tendency to turn
from Lowden or Wood. Should a
nomination still fail to be made after
several ballots. an extraordinary op-
portunity will come to the Penrose-
led or Penrose-directed delegation
from Pennsylvania to exhibit to the
convention the progressive record of
Gov. Sproul. He Is a dry" on the
liquor question. has made a good rec
ord as Governor of Pennsylvania and
is a brilliant personality who would
keep things humming during the CAM
paign.
tive and radical groups like Sproul,
but the old-line politicians put up the
proverbial objection about coming
from Pennsylvania" which is sup
posed usually to have some bearing
upon6She surehess OF Pennsylvania's
vote, anyway, and the proverbial ne
cessity of picking man. from a piv-
otal or doubtful state which he hight
be expected to add to the republican
list.
No More Of Handicap.
But the republicans are confident
that the entire eastern half of the
country is as sure as Pennsylvania.
80 this rock-ribbed state is no more
Of a handicap than would be Indiana
or Illinois. At least, logically. it
should be no handicap, and the repub-
licans, as said before. are great
sticklers for logic. The delegations
are not of the emotional sort. Busi-
ness men and leaders of the commu-
nifty are profusely represented In the
delegations here.
Another thing about Pennsylvania
When Senator Penrose mentioned
Senator Knox for the presidential
nomination it was not urged against
vania." But the real leaders knew that
Knox couldn't be selected if Lodge
were temporary chairman. For Sena-
tor Lodge and Senator Knox are at
cpposites on the treaty question, and
the next republican nominee is going
TO favor the ratification of the peace
treaty with the Lodge reservations.
Gov. Sproul meets those specifications.
Hoover Still Popular.
Logic in politics touches always on
the popularity and individual appeal
of the candidate. 1t is most significant
that delegates galore will admit that
Herbert Hoover is popular, and that
he surely would win. if nominated" :"
They say ii in almost the same breath
as they declare that he can't be nom
mated. Logic always has considered
the popularity and advertisement of
a candidate, and there is no more
widely advertised personality than
that of Herbert Hoover.
In objection to Hoover the same line
Of argument that was taken by the
supporters of Hiram Johnson is heard
namely that Hoover is pro-British
that he always lived abroad and didn',
vote in the United States and that he
hasn't been declared republican. AL
of these objections amount to some
thing as between republican candi.
dates. but if Mr.. Hoover were the re-
publican choice, few republicans
would be found saying those things
and certainly few democrats would
begin at this late date to say harsf
things about the former food admis
istrator the man in whom Woodrow
Wilson bestowed such confidence be.
fore and after the European war. In
deed, skillful politics would NEAR
the selection Of Hoover in a year ir
which democratic votes were needed
70 win. But the atmosphere in Chi
Cago is one Of abundant confidence
any good republican can wln-that:
the prevailing idea
Wood Delegation balance.
The chances az picking Hughes aeai,
depend TO 4 large extent on wha
happens to the wood delegates If th
eminent general fails of nomination.
Frank II Hitchcock, former Post
master General. who managed tn
Hughes movement on the floor of tn
last convention. would proba bi
throw his influence toward HuGhe
more readily than he would towar'
other candidate. SuppoSinS IL Wer