The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-06-10
BATTLE RACES
UNDER SURFACE
Outwardly Republican National
Convention Been Unspeak-
ably Dull and Uninteresting
BOSSES UNDETERMINED
Test of Strength Between New
Guard or Middle Western Group
and Old Guard Decide Control.
BIZ H. N. RIckEY


Chicago, Ill, June 10.-On the sur
face this convention appears to be un-
speakably dull and uninteresting.
Wednesdays session lasted less than
an hour and but for the speech OF
the veteran Chauncy Depew would
have been entirely without SAVIOUR. Al
&c. Chauncy retains many of the
charms that have made him famous
as convention spell-binder
He got something of an ovation and
furnished Is minutes Of real entertain
ment.
The adjournment until Thursday
was to give the resolutions commit
tee chance to report. That being
the next order of business. That was
all there was on the suface-quite un-
exciting.
But beneath the surface the siercest
battle that has been waged in a ma
tiona1 convention in a generation is
raging.
The battle involves not only the issue
OF who the candidate is to be bu. also,
and of even more important from the
standpoint of the party leaders. 1t in
wolves the issue of the future control
of the party.
Three groups, all ably led, have been
fighting for control ever since the
party leaders and delegates gathered
here. Roughly they are the old guard
or more properly the senatorial. group,
the new guard or group of middle
western machine politicians and the
radical group headed by Johnson and
Borah
About the only thing that any two
of the three groups had in common
was the determination Of the two first
named that the party should not go
radical. This meant that Johnson and
his democratic bed fellow Hearst must
be killed off whatever else happened
They have been. Johnson cannot be
nominated even though he has many
powerful personal friends among the
two other groups, particularly the SEN
atorial group.
II Johnson still thinks that he may
be in the running. he is the only man
in Chicago who knows what is going
on. who is of that opinion.
The battle then has narrowed down
to duel between the old guard and
the new guard-the senatorial group
headed by Penrose, Smoot, Lodge and
Watson and the middle western ma
chine political group which centers
about Chairman Will Hays and the
members of the national committee
conferences are being held day and
these two groups.
rTVx - L., \ l.
realize the importance of not carrying
out their first so far as to lose con-
troll of the convention and thus give
the radicals chance to pick it up.
There are evidences that the old
guard have abandoned their original
idea of trying to nominate a reaction
ary candidate.
The new guards have been convinced
that such a candidate might not be
elected.
The new guard was all set to nomi-
nate Lowtien and while not wanting
him the old guard would probably have
accepted him but for the Missouri
Doodle expose. They are now insisting
that Lowden be dropped because he
would have to make a defensive cam
paign and the democrats might Win.l
The new guard hate to give up L.w-I
den but it looks as though they would
have to.
The problem which confronts the two
groups that together control enough
votes to swing the nomination is this:
To agree upon candidate who is not
Objectionable to the lead
ers of either group; who has good
enough public record to share party
with the senate group and
not challenge the political leadership
Of the Hays group. 1t is some prob
lem.
One by one the candidates are be-
ing subjected to the acid test. Wood
smells strongly of gun powder and
Doodle. They are afraid he would be
n -