Evening star., 1920-02-22
REPUBLICAN, RANK AND FILE
DEMAND PICKING OF WINNER
Practical Considerations Will Rule National
Convention, Say Experts at Nelu
York Gathering.

convince you that he can look
with definifeness into the political
future is fooling you. You'd bet
ter take chance with the ouiJa
board.
Between the immediate hilltop and
the nearest horizon the battle lines
are presently disposed in array
which seems to present Gen Leonard
Wood as having intranched to re-
Cuperate, revictuai and reinforce. He
has made a splendid drive. but must
pause for breath He has a eel
mobiiiZed force. but it is limited in
numbers at this time 1t was drawn
from definite source, the Roose-
Welt progressive element. Every
body Knows that this faction of vot-
ers is not sufficient in numbers to
elect President in November next.
Moreover. the campaign slogan of
the Wood forceS-miiita. prepared
ness-is declared 10 be unacceptable
to the west. If the west, therefore,
is not to be counted upon to support
his at the polls, where will Gen. Wood
hnd his needed recruits among the
eastern republicans, who .are not
looking for a person but for a win
ner?
Gov. LOwden's Assets.
Gov. Lowden, as you have been
ADVISED SO OFTEN that you must be
tired of it by this time, has as his
principal asset the support Of prac-
tical organization workers for the
nomination, but even at that the
convention will have to be shown that
Gov. Lowden possess the elements Of
a winner at the polls. and what are
they? Well, for one thing, he re-
duced taxation in Illinois and favors
budget system to reduce national
taxation
Senator Harding is held forth as
compromise candidate on the
ground that he is more like the Nc
k1niey type than any one else, and
that what is wanted is a safe. con-
servative Mckinley kind of President.
AT the convention he may show up
with Ohio. Indiana and West Vir-
g1nia delegates. and that showing, if
II is made. will be language that the
politicians can understand. If he
should bring along some Michigan
ana Iowa delegates, the east would
oegln to sit up and take notice
senator Hiram Johnson will have
TO be reckoned with at Chicago.
He Is expected to have scattering
Their combined strength. as long
as maintained as a unit, will be a
factor II the contest is in any way
close.
Politicians here. surveying the
national field. say that Senator
, johnson will have to eliminate two
other candidates before he can ex-
pect to draw cards. They declare
that Gen. Wood will have to be
definitely out of the running, for
one. and that Gov. Allen of Kan
sas will have to be disposed of as
the other.
Roosevelt Strength.
Senator 1ohnson,s friends expect
ed him to be the residuary lega-
tee of the Roosevelt strength.
Gen. Wood beat him to it. Then
his friends calculated that il Gen.
Wood should face an impasse SEN
ator Johnson could come through.
Now Gov. Allen Of Kansas is in
the. path.
L. Ia - here ,authoritatively
that Gov. Allen win be for Wood
as long as Wood is in the running,
and so will Kansas. But il Gen.
Wood quits. Kansas will press Gov.
Allen and summon the Roosevelt
progressive strength from every
quarter.
II the west gets into a snari and
cannot decide upon a candidate,
and IL Indiana. Illinois. Ohio and
the central states get all tangled
up. look out for a boom for Gov
Sproul of Pennsylvania. Boise
Penrose is getting well and will
be at Chicago prepared to receive
company and entertain PROPOSE
tions..