Omaha daily bee., 1920-08-16
Result of Primaries in 0hjta
and California Sho' i -
Trend Toward HardinETae
G. 0. P. lead(,S. y
NOMINATION OF WILLIS
{ REGARDED AS VICTORY
Hays Much EIated at Outcome
Confident Senator Could,
Win Today on Anti-Wilson
Platform Alone.
By PHILIP KINSLEY.
Chicago Tribune Omaha Bee Leased Wire


Marion, O., Aug. l5.-Results of
the last week in the Ohio primary
election and in the California regis
tration, have cheered republican lead
ers as to the prospects of these two
states. 1t must be said that they
are elated. Ohio has always been re-
garded as the chief battle ground
of the campaign. An anxious eye has
been turned toward California due
to its peculiar behavior in 1916.
The registration in California has
been heavily republican, three to
one as rule, and IS to | in some
localities. This, taken in conjunction
with the attitude of Senator Johnson
who intends to take an extremely
active part in the campaign for Hard
ing, disposes of all doubt in the
minds of the republicans as to Cal
ifornia. They consider that safe.
AS to Ohio, the primary election
has resulted in a we'll balanced ticket
from the republican standpoint, one
that will help the national ticket in
many ways Former Governor
Frank B. Willis, who won the NOM
ination for United States senator, has
a strong rural following. This
naturally would go to Harding but
the Willis nomination strengthens
it.
Davis Strong In Cities.
Former Mayor Harry L. Davis
of Cleveland, who won the ,guber-
material nomination, has drawn his
strength from the cities, the sport
ing element, the vets and the labor
men. His nomination should help
Harding among>these voters, where
4e is admittedly the weakest.
The third factor is the small show
ing made by w. A. Julian, the win
ner of the democratic senatorial
nomination. He won by such small
plurality that the politicians are
wondering what has happened to
the Cox machine.
The democratic vote was much
'lighter than the republican vote,
giving further cause for confidence
among the republicans as to the NO
vember result. No personalities we're
indulged in during the campaign and
the result has been to reduce fac
tional troubles to minimum.
Ask Harry Daughtery, the astute
preconvention manager for Senator
Harding, how he considers the Ohio
situation. His eyes twinkle and he
looks away, his face wrinkling
shrewdly.
Viii Continue Fight.
Ohio he says, well, Ohio is all
right. | am not worrying. But we
are not running our campaign that
way: We will not quit the fight un-
til the last vote is counted"
Asked if there are any weak
states" in the union for the Harding
Coolidge ticket~the republican lead
ers admit privately that New Jersey,
Indiana. Missouri, Kentucky and
possibly Minnesota and New York,
might be so classed. They put Ohio
in that group until this week, also
California. y
Will H. Hays is e1ated over the
confidential reports he has received
from all parts of the country. He
is positive that if the election was
held today that Harding would
sweep the country on the anti-Wil-
son sentiment. The Cox swing
around the circle is awaited with in
terest. It's expected that the demo-
cratic candidate will gain strength
untA September |, at least, and that
about the time he is all through.
Harding will come forward with a
big, constructive, steadying program
that will carry him safely through
the critical month.
Senator Harding will not be driven
from his original plan of conduct
ing his campaign from Marion. In
accordance with this plan, however
he will go out for several big
speeches in various centers. His first
address of Importance outside OF
Marion will be at Minneapolis dur
ing state fair week when farmers
from three states are expected to
gather to hear him expound his
views on the problems of agricul-
ture.