The Washington times., 1920-06-28
HIDE BUTTON;
/. TAG, YOUR RE It
No Mention OF TiddIe- de- -Winks
or Postoffice at the
Convention.
BY SAMUEL q. BLYTHE.

Gibbs McAdoo IL playing pussy-ih-
thecorner with this convention. The
convention is playing blind mans $
bum with itself. and there Is a game
OF forfeits going on, with certain rep
resentatives OF the Administration at
Washington asking ominousiy. What
hangs over" Implying what may
hang over Is something disastrous TO
contemplate In view Of the hopes aud
plans OF the various open candidates
and their friends.
These games are going on In the
same playground. and there Is con-
siderable confusion attending their
progress. However. not all those
present are playing. Some are
watching, and others are seeking Dr
information that will be highly use
full II IL can be obtained.
What Mr.. McAdoo Is up to Is fairly
we'll understood, even II the various
steps Of his game are not openly ap-
parent
PRESIDENT IS PUZZLE.
The question, "What Is McAdoo
after?" answers itself In a measure
at least. The answer to the quection,
what Is the President after?" is
as cryptic now as Ii was three
months ago, except in non-personal
details. 1t Is well known that he
wants certain things done in a plat
form way, and that Ii VIII be agree
able to him to have his administra-
ton indorsed, commended and upheld.
There Is eager desire and intention
to do these things. He will get as
much in the platform as the necessity
demands and as much in the way OF
~. ...I
the most insistent could desire, but
with these details out OF the way
there remains the question, What
else does he want?" and no one here
has publicly disclosed the answer to
that yet, much less the President him
self
Most. OF the men who are managing
things are chary about talking OF this
phase OF their problem. but In the
hearts of the majority OF them Is the
fear that what the President, the
greatest precedent smasher in history,
may want is the nomination itself.
TRY TO ARGUE AWAY FEAR.
They try to argue this fear away
and advance as reasons to themselves
or guardedly to others that he can
not want a denomination: that he is
not physically able to take one: that
the whole political tradition OF the
country is against II, and thus and
so. Then they come back to the
truth of il all. which is that they
do not know that all they have to go
on is surmise. and that until they do
know they are merely running around
in circles, getting nowhere. either
forward or backward.
This dread that Washinton may
x.ytxh do nd
for the ultimate in indorsement-a
renomination-becam so acute yes
terday in some quarters that the plan
was made to prepare a series OF high
ly eulogistic resolutions concerning
the President, his acts, his policies,
his whole administrative career, and
offer them after Chairman Cummings
has made his keynote speech, In
which both the key A and the note
will be of similar tenor.
"WORD JUGGLERs- At WORK.
Expert word juggIers were set to
work on these resolutions with in
structions to make them as conclu-
sive, inclusive and laudatory as the
language will admit. They were told
to omit no sentiment of appreciation
and support. Also. they were told to
include in these resolutions para
graph expressing deep sympathy over
the illness Of the President and cx-
treme regret that illness makes it
impossible for him to consider active
participation in the coming campaign.
where he would be tower of
strength, etc.
In other words. the plan OF these
diplomats is to eliminate the Presi-
dent, via resolution. and with many
and haarfc "a, ~
thy. inasmuch as he has shown no
apparent sign of eliminating himself.
1t will take nerve to do this, and they
may do it. They may falter at the
crucial time; they may introduce the
resolution without this stinger in
them.
They were timorous when they dis
cussed the plan. The courage NAV
ooze out Of them. They are despor-
ately anxious to do it, and as 6csper-
ately afraid to. Their plight is dis
tressing. Until they know what the
President wants, they will have no
clear idea Of what they can get for
themselves.
WILSON IN NO HURRY.
The President is a politician; be has
been in no hurry to say what he
wants, and particularly in no hurry
TO say what he has in mind for him.
self He krows that the minute he
-akes his hand from the lever he
oses control of the machine. SO, too,
he McAdoo folks know that McAdoo
must abide by Presidential ukase in
he matter.
Likewise an expression OF dissent
o any other candidate would stretch
hat candidate cofd
There Is brave talk that this con-
'ention is OF a temper to go ahead |
Ind function Independently of WASH
ngton assent or dissent, but while |
he talk Is brave, the takers are not. |
rhey will quit IL the word comes for
hem to suit.
CONVENTION MARKS TIME.
Thus, pending word from Washing
on and with brilliant and enthusias-
ic opening exercises, the convention |
marks time. The situation has not |
'hanged an iota in six months. Such |
hings as the President has said are |
desirable to be done will be done. |
some of them are done already. On |
h,r ~sl -.