The evening world., 1920-06-11
Waited Outside in Taxi While
Lieutenant Within Fol-
lowed Every Word.
WOOD BUSY IN PERSON
Dpsets Traditions by Going
Among Enemy Delegates
and Seeking Pledges.
BY John II. Tenant.



} CHICAGO, June 11.-Hiram John
son has been hoodwinked so often
by the boss strategists OF his party !
that he applies the acid test to |
every promise OF compromise that |
emanates from the Blackstone.
He accepted docilely the platform
provision on the treaty which left |
the League of Nations commitment |
perched so high on the congressional
limb as to be beyond the reach of
compromise Republican Senators. |
With this concession which took
from him his chief grievance, he
promised to stay in camp and turned
aside the promptlngs of the NAL
contents and irreconcilables for a
bolt.
But he was suspicious that at the
\ last minute he would be made the
4 Victim Of some tricky manoeuvre TO
undermine his popularity with
rebellious minority. He went to the
! Coliseum yesterday incog, so to
fpeak, to make certain that the
league declaration compromise as
4 admitted and accepted would be Of
cred. He did not enter the conven-
ion hall, not being a delegate, but
he came prepared to execute a coup
that would have furnished a real
thrill and that might have ended in
q rough-and-tumble and a possible
walkout and rump convention like
~that engineered by Roosevelt eight
years ago. He brought with him a
typewritten copy Of the compromise.
He kept his seat in taxi at the curb
while a trusted lieutenant with the
copy stood inside OF the hall to fol-
low the reading OF the committee
presentment word by word and line
by line.
When the report came back to
Hiram that everything was accord
ing to Hoyle he signalled his driver
to return to his headquarters. Had
there been a slip, he was ready to
= enter the arena as an alternate and
start things.
Gen. Wood made party calls on
his rivals this afternoon just before
starting for Fort Sheridan for din
ner. Johnson was hidden in the taxi
at the Coliseum at the time and, OF
course, they did not meet. He left
cards for the Senator. and the Sena-
tors son, Major Johnson, who is on
the Generals staff.
I was struck with the growing
Iameness of the General. Walking
down the auditorium stairs In full
view Of hundreds of people, he would
step down and bring his other foot
to the same landing before essayins
a second step. Thus laboriously he
came down the twenty odd steps,
Gen. Wood started campaigning
uersonally last night In way thai
upset all the traditions. He made
a bold attempt to carry the stronges
nositions Of the enemy. No gum
shoelng, but straight army methods
of assault. He induced the Massa
chusetts delegation to vacate thei'
quarters adjoining the New Yorl
World Bureau and moved in with
strong detachment. He talked to tn
delegates personally trying to extrac
hedges Of support after Coolidg
had been given a complimentar
vote. He sent for delegates fror
other States and talked with then
He was still campaigning until lon
after midnight. At o'clock Me-
York time, and he was still pei
sonally directing the storming OF
erations. Little adjutants from .riVa
divisions crowded the hallway
watching the bold manoeuvre.
Cen. Coleman du Pont, the talle
man about the convention, was halle
in the Congress last night as a poss
hle candidate under cover.
'Sroo tall for dark horse" was h
ready answer 10 the suggestion.
'grhere isn't a blanket in Chicag
mig enough to hide me-" The Ger
eraI is six feet two in his runb'
twelve stockings.
"You got the money necessary
this convention" suggested a friend.
B possibly I have enough to tai
care OF one state but not the Unic
In these times" he answered. RI
publican common is too high rigl
aow TO DC considered a good inves
4mantWA