The New York herald., 1922-05-09
M'CUMBER' CHANCE
TO WIN is SIMMER
Gronna's Death Leaves Non
Partisan League Support
Solid for Frazier.

special DtSpdtch to The NEW YORK HERALD
FARGO. n. D.. May S.-The recent
death of former Senator AISLE J. Gronna,
one of the possible contenders for tho
Republican nomination for Senator
against Porter J. McCumber. is regard
ed as having lessened rather than in
creased the chances of McCumber being
retained in the Senatorship on the
strength of the bonus law. more popu-
larly known here as ''McCumber's five
billion dollar campaign fund"
While the death of Mr.. Gronna re-
moves one possible contender from the
field, it Is believed he might have drawn
more from the Non-Partisan League
support than from that of Senator Nc
Cumber. It has awakened a wave of
anger also. among Mr.. cronna's friends
over tie manner in which he was de-
feated two years ago. a defeat charged
by them TO Senator McCumber.
Mr.. Gronnas death leaves the Nom
Partisan League support of former
Governor Fra zier for Senator on the Re-
publican ticket solid, while the candi-
dacy of Ormsby McHarg and former
Representative p. D. Norton divides the
support that would otherwise naturally
go TO McCumber. provided the voters
had no other alternative.
More Violent Efforts.
Realization of this situation is fore
ing the McCumber forces to more violent
efforts to cater to the support of the
$4,000 ex-service men in the State. and
1t Is understood that Senator McCum5er
has been advised that passage of The
bonus measure Is his only chance of sue
cess.
This bald attempt to indulge in com
mercialized patriotism Is not regarded as
surprising by those who profess to know
Senator McCumber. They point out that
he has never been particularly interested
ir North Dakota except about election
time and that his old time association
with Alexander Mckenzie. last OF the
State bosses, and the attempt to deal
with Arthur C. Townley. former head
of the Non-Partisan League, indicate
that he is shrewdly calculating poll
tician who will not overlook any chances.
Even among the ex-service men who
support the cash bonus plan, there seem
TO be no illusions as to the reasons ac-
tuating Senator McCumber, although
they are unwilling to delve too deeply
in the Senator's motives.
The reaction among other voters In
the state to the bonus method of cam
paigning is not favorable. Those who
upheld the hands of the administration
during the war and under difficult cir
cumstances which residents of other
States will not fully comprehend, are a
unit in declaring for the fullest possl-
BILE Government aid for the sick or dis
abled veterans. The liberal State bonus
of $50 month which is expected to
cost the State about sf0.0o0.000 is re-
garded as showing how North Dakota
feels toward her own soldiers. 1t is
realized that national bonus would
probably double this assessment for
North Dakota as it's share in the gen.
eral tax scheme that would have to
follow
Veterans Seem Indifferent.
The service men appear to be indif-
ferent as to the national bonus. Nc
Cumber organizations among ex-service
men have been built UP, but this sup
port made little showing at the time
the McCumber following attempted to
control the caucuses that elected dele
gates to the jamestown Republican Con-
vention which refused to give it's indorse-
ment to McCumber.
The sitdation as It affects Senator
McCumber's chances st the June pri-
maries may be summed up thus:
The State has been undergoing a Bit
ter fight to wrest State control from
the administration Of the radical Non
Partisan League. The fight is only
partly won. Those who have conducted
the fights charge that Senator McCum-
Der has made no effort to assist them
but. on the contrary. has political deals
with the league itself.
They charge he has maintained his
relationship with Alexander Mckenzie.
acknowledged representative of the rail
roads against whom a fight has been
waged for years.
They pictured him as endeavoring to
insure his election by walking arm in
arm with Mckenzie on one side and
with Townley. father of the Non-Par-
tisan League with a prison record for
disloyal utterance. OIL the other.
The result is such bitterness among
the more conservative Republicans that
they refused to indorse Senator McCum-
ber at their recent convention. The
league followers. equally bitter over tho
alleged effort TO make their support a
matter OF trade and barter, have un-
horsed Townley from his leadership.