Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1920-06-08
Triple Deadlock May Destroy ( hanccs cf Wood, John
 son and L0wden TALK OF DARK HORSE
 Is ON THE INCREASE Scarcely IIalf Enough Ballots to Win Expected on First Ballot for Any One of he Three
 Leaders

Chicago, June [ Gts old time lead CTS unhorsed and its favoritos for the presidency deadlockcd, the republican party will begin it's national conven- ton here tomorrow under conditions of uncertainty unparalleled in recent political history.
 Embossed and largely unorGanized, the delegates were asking one another straying and when a master would arise to lead them out of the wilder. ness of their own indecision.
 In the noisy turmoil of convention eve, the only definable trend seemed 10 drive Wood, Lowdcn and Johnson into deadlock fight, which it was recognized everywhere might destroy them all. The old timers reflecting that it is but step from a deadlock- ed convention to stampeded con- vention, wondered what might hap
 
 ed leader settled himself securely in the saddle.
 Many were recalling the Chicago convention in 1880 when the favorites were all deserted after deadlock of 35 ballots and James A. Garfield, who had won the convention by nominat- ing speech was nominated
 Talk of dark horse in which some of the more experienced practical pol ticians joined tonight for the first time, began to revolve with an in- creasng frankness, about the disclos- ures of the senate's investigation of campaign expenditures. At many scattering conferences those who ad- vocate d dark horse nomination, pre- dictcd that in the end, no man whose name was involved at all in the evil dcnce of the Investigating committee could be put before the country as a party's choice.
 In the main, however, the leaders and near-lcaders caucused and con- ferred and brought forth nothing. Even those who held the whip hand over q few delegates here and there PS|hNN u'idpit " BtL lDktbHT WILH tn other greater and lesser potential dictators of party policy. The result was foggy picture of the possibili- ties of the next few days.
 It became apparent that unless there came dramatic and unexpected change, the first ballot to be taken Wednesday or Thursday will record votes for between 15 and 20 candi- dates for the presidency with scarce ly more than half enough to nomi- nate in the Wood, Lowden or Johnson column.
 To what extent the managers for the leading three can hold their delegates in line after an unsuccessful test of strength is a subject of controversy. There are those who contradict the claims of the Wood, Lowden and Johnson whipe that their organiza- tions are cohesive enough to stand the strain of failure to nominee on an early ballot.
 Guesses All Bad.
 In any case, no one any longer pretends to be sure just what will happen after q roll call or two has passed into history. The guess of some of the veterans is that votes will swirl and bunch and scatter again like the sands of the sea. And those who hope for stampede are counted on to turn loose every va rety of spell-binding emotional whirlwind.
 It is situation which gave the bosses of other days many good laugh in their sleeves as today's de- yelopments moved in feverish cir cles. Those of the old-time, out-of- date school, who are here at all, re- mained largely to themselves how ever, hoping for the best but shaking their heads sadly at the memory of steam rollers used and wires pulled in the times when leader could be sure of his ground.
 The new leaders of the party, how ever, including Will H. Hays, the na- tional chairman, declared their en- tire satisfaction with the absence of the old methods.
 At last, said MT. Hays, the country was seeing what it had stridently de- handed, a convention absolutely un- bossed and acting for itself. He pre- dicted the outcome would be benefi- cial to the standing of the party.
 One effect of the prospective dead lock, was to add impetus today to the movement to make the temporary ors ganization of the convention perman- ent. Sentiment among the delegates is strongly against prolonging the convention into next week if it can be avoided, an dit was argued that Of Senator Lodge of Mass, the tempor- ary chairman was elected to servo also as permanent chairman, the for