New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-05-03
Johnson Is Expected to
Give Wood Close Race
in Maryland To-day Be-
cause of German Vote
Four Seek Indiana
Delegates Tuesday
Prediction Made Sena.
tor Will Beat Hoover i'm
California by 10000
By Carter Field

From The Tribunes Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, May PRIMARY
contests in this years Presidential
campaign will be virtually concluded
tomorrow and Tuesday, with the
practical certainty that the prima-
rles will have failed to force the
nomination of any particular candi-
date.
In Maryland tomorrow the only
entrants are Senator johnson and
General Leonard Wood. In the Indi-
ana primary Tuesday Wood, John
son, Lowden and Harding all are en-
tereS, while in California on the
same day the fight is between john
son and Herbert C. Hoover.
The only primaries remaining in
which there is any interest are thosa
in Oregon and Vermont. johnson
has fair chance in Oregon, but
none in Vermont.
The Maryland fight is a horse
race. One enthusiastic Johnson man
here has made an even-money bet
that Johnson will have 5000 major
ity, but he is unwilling to bet more
money on the same proposition.
johnson is tremendously stronger as
primary fighter In Maryland than he
would be as candidate in the election,
due to the fact that Maryland is an in
tenseiy conservative state and johnson
Is regarded as a radical, despite his
statement since he became a candidate
for the Presidency that he considered
government ownership Of railroads had
been put off for thirty years and WAS
not an issue st this time.
German Vote In Baltimore
But there is tremendous German
vote in Baltimore, and it is practically
all Republican. While not regarded
generally as q big German center, like
st. Louis, Cincinnati and Milwaukee,
Baltimore, prior to ths war, supported
two morning German newspapers. As
it has been plain in every primary so
far that Johnson has been getting tho
German vote almost solidly on his
anti-treaty platform, it is expected he
will pile up votes in Baltimore and in
western Maryland, where the German
vote also is strong. He is not ex-
pected to run strongly in southern
Maryland. where the German vote i.
practically nil and where there is no
radical vote TO speak Of
Wood has the advantage in Mary
land of having the regular organiza-
tion with him, but the organization al
ways has been badly split, and there
has been a great deal of feeling reused
by the forcing of a primary at all, the
politicians having agreed not to have
one.
In Indiana, Wood and Johnson are
conceded to be in the lead, as com
pared with Harding and Lowden. This
primary is expected to give Senator
Harding the final retiring touch, as
it is confidently expected here he will
run last of the four. The anti-John-
son Republicans have become alarmed.
and are now appealing to the organ
ization leaders to come in solidly for
Wood, to prevent Johnson from carry
ing the state. This follows a long cam
paign Of supposedly clever political
naneuvering, in which the organization
men tried to use the strength of every
possible candidate to prevent the Wood
strength from running away with the
situation.
Pin Hopes on Wood
They were trying to prevent Wood
getting clear majority of the votes
cast, which, under the Indiana law, would
bind the delegates to him. A plurality.
under the Indiana law, does not bind
the delegates. Now the situation is re
versed and they are turning franti-
cally to wood to save the delegation
from being instructed for johnson.
NO one here believes that any of the
candidates will have a clear majority.
so that the original purpose will be
achieved, but there was no thought
earlier In the campaign that there was
any possibility Of Johnson getting the
moral advantage of being the high man.
and it is this which the oraeniza
ton leaders are now working against.
In California all the politicians ex-
pect johnson to roll up big plurality
over Hoover. Just how the Johnsor,
organization in California has obtained
the support Of the old De Young
gang, denounced from one end of the
state to the other by Johnson in Ian
guage which it would be libelous to
repeat, no one here understands. bpt II
has been done. An experienced political
observer, just back from the state. TOLD
friends here that he thought Johnser
would not have less than 10000 major.
ity, and it probably would be much
larger, This observer went to the state
in the hope of finding Hoover senti-
ment.
Johnson Victory Not Important
But even if Johnson should win biz
in Maryland-actually the majority
either way probably will be small~ana
in Indiana and California, the net efYec
on the convention will not amount 70
anything. In Maryland, the only dele
gates bound by the primary will be the
big Four" All will be selected by the
organization, which is anti j Johnson. II
Indiana, the delegates will not be John
So: men at heart. and propobably will
not be Ins.~,cted for hin..
California always has been conceded
TO Johnson. Prior to the entry Of
Hoover into the Republican HPrcsi-
Dental situation no Republican candi.