Evening star., 1920-05-23
v. VA. PRIMARY
NEXT TUESDAY
Sixteen Delegates to Each Of
National Conventions to
Be Chosen.
Special Dispa tch to The star.

npeeidl DlSpdtCn 10 1ue SLaf.
CHARLESTON. W. Va. May 22.-
The primary elections will be held in
West Virginia next Tuesday, when
sixteen delegates to each of the big
conventions< In San Francisco and
Chicago, will be elected. Nominations
will be made for governor by both
the old parties, and complete state
candidates for the various offices.
twice as many as in any previous
primary election in the history of
West Virginia.
There is lively contest within the
republican party for all the offices ex-
cept state treasurer, for which Will
liam S. Johnson of Fayette county,
the incumbent. will get the nomina-
tion unopposed. Chief interest CEN
ters @ IN the presidential preference
vote, especially since the whirlwind
campaigns conducted during the last
week by Gen. Leonard Wood and
Senator Howard Sutherland, the op-
posing candidates. Gen. Wood spent
six days in the state this week rally
ing his supporters with speeches and
personal interviews in twelve Of the
leading cities. while Senator Suther-
lands friends employed three air
planes to litter the state with adyer-
tfsing matter in his behalf. Senator
sutherland is making his Campaign
solely on native son" plea.
Wood Precedes Sutherland.
Wood entered the state and built
up a strong organization long before
senator Sutherland made up his mind
TO become an active candidate. State
Auditor John S. Darst is Woods man
ager In West Virginia and he has
been unusually active in enlisting
republicans for the Wood army. Sutf.
erland, on the other hand, did not be-
come act1ve until this week. when
Gen. Wood came into the state. None
OF the other presidential candidates is
on the state primary ballot. Consery-
ative republican leaders are not
willing to risk their regulations as
political dopesters by predicting the
outcome of the Wood dSutherland cou-
test and 1t remains very much in
doubt. There are no candidates for
President on the democratic ballot
although friends of Ambassador John
w. Davis of Clarksburg, this state.
now In London, assert that many
democratic voters will write in his
name on the ballot.
Bitter Fight for Governor.
The most bitter fight of the cam
paign has developed among the three
candidates for the republican guber-
Material nomination. or rather be-
tween two Of them. Col. Fred Paul
Grosscup and Judge E. F. Morgan
and it is predicted that as a result
Samuel B. Montgomery, state labor
commissioner, who is backed by the
labor element. will walk off with the
nomination. In one county, Mcdowell
the fight between Col. Grosscup and
Judge Morgan for control of the
county committee was carried into the
supreme court and a decision handed
down in favor of Judge Morgan.
On~the democratic state ticket the
only contest is between Arthur B.
Npontz and former Representative
Adam B. Littlepage, both of Charles
ton. for the gubernatorial nomina-
ton. koontz Is said to have the back
ing of the entire state democratic or
ganization and is generally believed
by conservative party leaders to be
a sure winner.
The liquor issue and the league of
nations has not been injected in the
West Virginia pre-primary campaign
in any manner whatsoever.
HERBERT L. GRIMM.