The Washington herald., 1920-04-17
Wood and Johnson Invasion
Of State Disquieting to
His Supporters.
TWO FAVORTTE SONS
Liveryman, B o a asting
Byan's Favor an
Added Starter.
BY WILLIS ]. ABBOT,

BY WILLIS J. ABBOT.
Omaha, Neb., April 16.-Nebraska
takes its share in this years Pres
ident- making very seriously.
1t has a Democratic favorite son
in the person of Senator Hitchcock
and a Republican favorite son in
that Of Gen. Pershing. although his
title to sonship is rather violently
denied by the spokesmen of his foes
1t has also what might be called
I suppose, a son by favor of Will
lam Jennings Bryan. in the person
Of one Robert G. Ross. a liveryman
hitherto unknown to fame, but who
put himself on the. primary ballot
in the way that has of late become
favorite quadrennial indoor sport
with persons in our Presidential
primary States.
Questions Pershing's Status
Despite this roster of home favor.
ties. the State has been invaded by
those militant candidates, Wood ano
johnson, in a way that the home
talent considers decidedly subver-
sive of political ethics.
The invaders vociferously insist
that Gen. Pershtng is no real can
didate. Sometimes they protes,
that he is no true son of Nebraska
soil and drag out a speech he is al
legged to have delivered. in which
he proclaimed himself resident OF
Illinois. They insist that behind
Ais campaign Is no real hopezof his
nomination.
IT'S just a scheme to get a lot Of
delegates who will be practically
uninstructed. and will be at the be,
hest Of Charley Dawes to do what
he wants with" said one peculiarly
aggrieved supporter of Wood to me
Dawes has put up the money fol-
the Pershing campaign, and they are
spending lots of it. The work wa:
begun when Nelson Updyke bought
the Omaha Bee and declared fol
Pershing. Updyke is a tremendously
successful business man, and closely
associated with Dawes, but he neye,
before took any interest in politics
This thing is a side issue with him
Pershings quality as a favorite sor
OF Nebraska is wholly imaginary
Hoover's Hands on.
To which the Pershingites retort
that the general himself has de.
clared Nebraska to be his home, ant
point to his long record of interesr
in Nebraska institutions, particu-
larly the university. as proof Of il
They claim also to have knowledg.
of letter written by young PERISH
ing wheni West Point, inquirinc
as to the formation of a Nebraska
brigade and declaring his purpose
of joining it.
But after all, this heated debate
Is beyond the question. The cour.
tesy which respects the territory
of favorite sons has been thrus,
aside in this Presidential year by
both Wood and Joh lson. Onl,
Hoover has scrupulously observed
it. and his letter to his Nebraska
supporters. asking them to with.
draw his name here, while a source
of bitter disappointment to them
has Won for the candidate the
friendship the Pershing forces
which may be an asset worth hay-
ing in the convention.
1t is probable that but for this
action Mr. Hoover would have beer
a considerable factor in next weeks
prirlarieS The sentiment is strong
for him throughout the State. Ir
Omaha not long ago the WOOD
managers took a poll of the of1ce
buildings In the city and as a re.
suit Hoover led the Democratic
ticket running far ahead of Sen.
ator Hitchcock. and was tied with
Lowdep for third place on the Re.
publican list. However, he does not
figure In the pending primaries.
Pefshing WORKERS Busy.
On the Republican side are three
candidates-Pershin Wood and
Johnson. The supporters of each
man are today loudly claiming the
victory. Under normal conditions
the situation should favor Per-
shing.
Every device has been employed
to enlist in his favo; the element
of State pride. The strongest party
paper in the State. the Omaha Bee
is conducting a vigorous campaign
in his behalf. He has a full dele
gate ticket in the field. numbering
some of the most eminent men OF
Nebraska in the list He typifies
the victorious service abroad. to
which the State gave freely of its
young manhood. His meetings have
been we'll attended and the charac-
ter of his prominent supporters is
of the highest. But the victory OF
Gen. Pershing next Tuesday is in
my opinion most improbable. What
might have been the outcome had
he had Gen. Wood alone to compete
with is problematical.
But with Wood and johnson both
in the field the case of Pershing
is desperate, for the two soldier
win divide among them
the distinctively patriotic vote,
leaving to johnson the vote of the
pro German element. which is large
in this State. the discontented labor
vote, to which he appealed with
such success, in Michigan, the anti
CONTINUED On PAGE -FOUR.