The Washington times., 1922-07-09
c. 0.P.LEADERSI
T0OPENF|GHT'
0NPR|MAR|Es
Plan to Spread Propaganda In
Behalf Of Old conven- /,
tion System.
BY JAMES r. N0URSE,
- Universal Service.

Cumulative evidence Of a def
mite purpose in the minds Of old
guard Republicans to break down
the direct primary method Of NOM
mating candidates for important
offices is being revealed to sup
porters Of the primary system
here. .r 80 ,,>.
| An organized campaign to
throttle the direct primary and
return to the old convention sys-
tenn will SOON be undec way in
all the States,> 1t is understood,
under the guidance and with the
consent Of most Of the old guard
leaders in Congress. 3d..
To Spread Propaganda I.
= Propa ganda designed to convince
the voters that the primary method
has failed. that II has resulted In the
sending Of poorer quality Of men
to Congress than were selected under
the old convention plan, and that the
primary as now conducted does not
record the true sentiments Of the
voting population will be spread
across the country as the opening
In addition to the literature direct
ed against the primary. there will be
speakers to address the voters and
tell them how much superior to the
primary IL the convention method of
choosing candidates.
Progressive leaders In Congress
are keeping a watchful eye on their
old guard brethren for the first open
sign of their attempt to start a
revolt against the primary. When
1t starts the Progressives viii get
into the fight. too.
So far as Old Guard Republicans
are concerned, their dissatisfaction
with the direct method of selecting
candidates grows largely out Of the
succession Of defeats they have suf-
fered In the primary elections thus
far held to select candidates for The
Senate.
Series Of Losing Fights.
Through the direct method Of vot.
ing by which the people choose their
own candidates. there came Senator
North Dakota. Pinchot for the Penn
hart IN Iowa. In the primaries yet
to be held. the fate of several more
Of the Old Guard Senators is hang
ing In the balance. II the nomina.
tions were to be made by "sanely.
controlled" conventions most of them
probably would pull safely through;
with the choice In the hands of the
people. some OF them may have a
tight squeeze.
While these efforts to destroy the
direct primary are going on. there 10
q strong movement among Progress
sives to strengthen and build up the
primary, particularly as 1t relates to
the Presidency and the Senate. A
bill for Q nationwide Presidential
primary has been-offered by Senator
johnson of California. and a resoiSr
ton to give Congress more authority
over Senatorial primaries has been
sponsored by Senator Pomereie Of
Ohio.
The retirement Of Joseph W. Ford.
ney, of Michigan, chairman OF tile
Ways and Means Committee. which
framed the tariff bill. In an illustra.
ton. from the old guard point Of
view, of the evil Of the primary
system. Fordney has announced
that he viii not be candidate to sue.
ceed himself. The generally accepted
view among old guard leaders il that
Fordney feared to enter another con-
test. as the odds were heavily against
him, and his denomination would be
exceedingly doubtful. mainly because
Of his sponsorship Of the high tariff
bin.