New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-01-17
Selfish Policies of Self
Selected Committeeman
Said To Be Responsible
tor Convention Evils
Conduct Denounced
BY Voters at Home
Distribution of Party Pa.
tronage on Non-Parti-
san Basis Is Advocated
By Carter Field

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16.-A radical
policy in dealing with the so-called
Republican leaders in states of the
Solid South has been urged on Presi-
dent-elect Harding by a strong ele-
ment of the Republican National Com
mittee.
If he should heed the advice he has
been given he would ignore absolutely
the group of men who for years have
fought each other to see who would
control the delegation from the South
ern states to the National Republican
conventions, and whose actions at the
conventions have so frequently re-
suited in talk of scandals.
These Southern Republican leaders,
mostly self-selected, have just two
objects in the political game, it is
pointed out by those urging the Presi-
dent-elect to ignore them. rOne is to
take a handpicked delegation to Chi
cago and get the highest possible price
in promises for their delivery. The
other is to dictate the Federal patron
age when the Republican party is in
power in Washington.
Actions Condemned at Hons
The almost universal contempt in
which these men are held in their own
states by the respectable element, it
is declared, is one of the big reasons
why it has been so hard for the Re-
publican party to make any real head
way in that section. Perhaps it is
even more important than the resent
ment still surviving from the Civil
War and reconstruction.
The policy urged on Mr.. Harding,
therefore, by the national leaders in
terested in this idea, is that he should
pay no attention whatever to the ma
tional committeeman from the South
ern states-these committeeman having
been elected by the delegations to the
Chicago convention - but should ap-
point Federal officeholders in the
South practically on non-political
basis.
81 would not have Mr.. Harding ap-
point rampant Democrats to otflce,'
said one man who laid this view be-
fore the President-elect recently, but
l think the ideal plan would be to
appoint young men of standing in their
communities, known to hold views, II
possible, in sympathy with the national
policies of the Republican party.
Official Color Line Advised
"One thing / think imperative is that
not a single negro should be appointed
to any office in the South, where the fact
that he is a negro would be irritating
to any considerable element of the peo-
pie there. l am Northerner myself,
and am not for the moment thinking OF
any other consideration than building
our party up to something real and
President would think of appointing a
man of his party in Northern or
Western state who he knew in advance
would be distasteful to large majority
of the voters in that state or city.
"The thing to do is to show the
South that no such humiliation as the
dictation Of the appointmen of power
full officers in their states by the men
who make a business of controlling
their BLACK and tan delegations to Re
publican National Conventions will be
permitted by the Republican party:
"Consider for moment what will be
the regular method of appointme Of
United States district judges, district
attorneys, United States marshals, GUS
toms collectors, postmasters and other
such important Offices in the State of
Georgia under President Harding if no
change in the old policy is followed.
All of these appointments, assuming
that the old line methods are followed.
will be dictated by Henry Lincoln John
son, a negro, who was elected national
committeeman at Chicago.
Violation of Faith Charged
Incidentally, johnson was elected in
violation of at least an understanding
on the part of members of the national
committee that he would not be. If it
had not been for this understanding
there is no doubt in my mind that
Johnson's contestipg delegation would
never have been seated by the commit
tee The Johnson case is an excellent
one in point, because the voters of
Georgia showed in two Democratic pri-
marios in which only white men could
VOTE that for Senator and Governor,
and prior to that. in the one on Presi-
Dental preference, that they stood at
least two to one against Wilson and
the Democratic administration"
IN mn /" ~