The Washington herald., 1920-03-26
(By q Stan Corre.pondentJ

the primaries in Minnesota has
brought the political caldron in the
the Central West 10 the boiling
pitch. 1t wasn't much OF a pri-
mary. it is true. but it suficed to
accentuate the growing bitterness
between political factions, not only
here but throughout the country.
Gen. Wood is supposed to have
profited by the maneuvers at the
onc-hour test" Of public opinion,
hut. to offset this, the ranks OF
the opposing candidates in the Re-
publican party have been solidified
and it is now the field against the
doughty general. more than ever.
"Strong-arm tactics" double
crossing" and such charges ema-
nate from both the Lowden and the
Johnson headquarters. Johnson him.
self did not mince matters, but
spoke right out in meeting when
he characterized the Minnesota vot-
ing as being "rigged." Governor
Lowden has not personally COM
mented on his sorry showing, but
bis managers have not been back
ward in denouncing what they term
"soapbox" primaries.
Lowden Claims virginia.
To offset the northern disaster
the Lowden committee turned loose
the Virginia delegation. which they
claim will more than counterbalance
what happened to the governor in
Minnesota. II has followed up this
by openly charging that the Wood
forces are gold-plating the country
and that a barrel is the smallest
thing that is tapped in the rivals
camp.
II is claimed by the Lowden peo-
pie that possibly $500. 900 were spent
for Wood in the Minnesota primary
and that as much was spread over
South Dakota where the primary
campaign closed last .Tassday. s..,s
Charges of big expendt tturesV are
being talked of more and more.
These emanate from the Lowden
and johnson camp, with an occa-
sional tip from the Harding people.
The latest story is to the effect that
the City Hall machine in Chicago
was, offered a huge campaign fund
to put a complete Wood delegate
ticket into the field. with glee, IL
is mentioned. that this had to be
refused because the Thompson fol-
lowing was unable to find enough
delegates to go around.
Hitchcock Is Confident.
As ah-offset to the claims of Low
den and his Virginia delegation,
Frank Hitchcock returned from a
trip to the South, and reported that
the Florida delegation to the Chi
cago convention would be solidly
for General Wood. Both Hitchcock
and Colonel Proctor were unani-
nous in their opinions that the
charges from opposition camps were
prompted by jealousy at the rapid
ly growing strength of the man on
horseback. They claim that the
country is waking up to the import
ance Of the candidacy of General
Wood, and that the band wagon Is
getting more crowded every day.
1t had been expected that Low
den would get the majority of the
delegates from south of the Mason
and Dixon line. but the work of the
persuasive Hitchcock is likely to
cause a number of splits in some of
the delegations. On top of this
comes Senator Harding's manager
Harry N. Daugherty, with the claim
that Texas will go for Harding In
the convention. Neither of these
moves will help Lowden.
Harding In Danger.
The Lowden forces. however, did
some quiet and effective work in
the East, and General Wood will not
n = NH a.
gates will be rounded up in the
largest numbers. They hint that IL
another such stunt Is tried as that
In Minnesota, they might be COM
PEELED to show their hands to the
extent of revealing a practically
solid delegation from the Empire
State for the Illinois governor.
Regardless of the swing around
the Southwestern and Western cir
Gle, the Harding boom Is not gain
ing to any great extent. The rails
in the Senator's fences at home are
getting a little shaky and he will
find plenty to do in his own State,
for without a solid delegation from
Ohio to back him. the Senator you'd
have small show at the convention.
The opinion Of sagacious politicians
here is that Gen. Wood will split the
delegation, as pointed out after the
tour of the writer through Ohio.
Independent Vote Big.
Regardless of the hybrid nature
Of the Minnesota primaries and the
apparent ''set-up" for one candidate,
the results are giving the manage
rial talent in all camps considerable
food for reflection. Mechanically
figured, only 1874 per cent of the
voters had a physical chance of get
ting near the ballot boxes in the
time allotted. Despite this fact
there was a maryslous amount of
"pasting" something. which posi-
lively had not been looked for.
Stickers disigured the ballots and
the scrawls gave the regulars
something to think about. In the
opinion of neutral observers here II
proved conclusively that anyone
who can forecast the results next
fall will indeed be prophet.
The thousands Of 'irreguiar"
votes in the much restricted primary
made 1t patent that the controlled"