Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-05-05
TH|RDPARTY SEEN
AS INEVITABLE
BY THE LEADERS
Result in California Accen.
tuates Johnson'S Strength
as Conventions Near.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Both republicans and democrats
whose influence in their respective
parties 10 controlling and whose po-
litical Judgment is usually accurate
now are convinced that a third party
is inevitable.
Primary results in California. where
Senator Hiram Johnson has defeated
Herbert Hoover. has accentuated the
lines of political strength as the time
for the two big conventions ap-
proaches. Republican senator's friend-
" to Senator johnson concede that
ne cannot be nominated at Chicago.
They say he 10 not really radical,
but behind him are groups of voters
whose support of the republican
ticket fs not SO much based upon
conversion to republican doctrine az
it is upon personal fondness .or
Hiram Johnson TO permit ie,yon yonnsHn son
domination of these elements, some
thing which the conservative leaoefs
~ the republican party do not well
come.
Means . New Party.
But to fail to nominate Johnson
means a possible detection ana thlro
party. The California senator MIN, nimseia ~
may be persuaded to remain Loyal 10
the party, but his following Will not
stay. It's Johnson or nothing with
them, And preparations already are
under way for third party composed
Of some Of the elements ,ared wa'Gm she nroeres.
siye party, some of the radicals who
like neither the republican nor demo-
cratic parties. the voters controiled oy
the chain of Hearst newspapers ana
the numerous groups VINO are tto ar.sc.
oncilably opposed to the ratincaeion
tions. ~. .,,-s
marty would be drawn from the oem-
ocratic ranks. 1t looks for instance;
as II the dsmocrstiG dicai G0nfen0 of the Bryan
type. Messrs McAdoo. Cox and Pal
mer. who are in the lead for the
democratic nomination, are more or
less conservative. They all 1avor tne
treaty and league of nations Disap-
pointment over the failure OF .he
nublican conventions. respectively, TO
recoRnize the johnson or Bryan
stren9th would compel their sup
norters to turn elsewhere Iney
would he welcomed with open arms
in a third party.
Republican, Preference.
The republican leaders themselves
vo,,id nrefer to 20 to the country this
wear with q man admittedly conseIva
tive than a candidate with q tafnt OF
radfcalism that might cause the ou1k
Samocratic conservative. Republican
leaders are convinced that business
afRciencv and conservatism In domes-
tic and foreign policy are demanded
this time. and that the day of expert
mentalism in government ana quasi
81
While some of them foresee third
marty. they do not fear 1t. They are
honestly convinced that there are
more republican voters in the country
than democrats today, and that the
formation Of a third party would draw
I;cans. and when these elements had
hean subtracted from both parties the
resulfant strength of the republican
narty in each Of the important states
would still be sufficient to carry the
electoral votes for the republican
ticket.
Democrats Jubilant.
But in the democratic camp the fore
cast Of q third party Is accompanied
nv sense Of jubi1ation and expect
ancy. The democrats are basing their
hopes on what happened in 1912. They
think q third party means an easy
victory. OF course. they are assuming
that Hiram JOHhSoA IL oCiCoNSu a.
chicago will raise the cry Of fraud"
and the familiar slogans Of 1912 and
bolt the convention and start third
party. They imagine a dominating
personality like Roosevelt will head
a third party and that johnson will be
the nominee.
The republican leaders will make
every effort to keep johnson in line.
and while they think a third party fs
unavoidable they will try to prevent
Johnson from leading it,.
So far as the republican leaders are
concerned they are satisfied with the
GOV. Lowden. Either one would
do. The victory of johnson in Cali
fornia doesn't disturb them. for they
regard the votes for Hoover as q re-
flection Of the conservative sentiment
Of California.
It 10 strongly suspected here. more
over, that in San Francisco. where
Johnson's vote was so large. anti
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