The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-11-23
LOOKS LIKE
RALSTON is
CHOICE BET
Democrat Old Guard Cries
Beat McAdoo as G. 0, P,
Trimmed Wood in 1920,
BY ROBERT J. BENDER

Copyright 1928, by United News)
IN EW YORK. Nov. 23.-Wilham
II mi Gibbs McAdoo will get the
Ill South Dakota delegation to the
national convention when the Demo
| Gratis gather at Pierre, Dec. 4, to vote
heir preference.
Thus McAdoo, this year, is getting
] he same jump on his opponents for
| he nomination as Gen. Leonard
| Wood got in his campaign four years
| ago, when he won the South Dakota
Republican State convention.
The situation calls attention to the
striking similarity between the po-
litical conditions confronting McAdoo
and those in 1919 confronting Wood in
| the Republican party.
McAdoo, like Wood. has the most
active organization at work at this
stage in the game of any of the can
didates He is the best known candi-
date, as Wood was and, like Wood. as
the greatest number of enthusiastic
personal hackers working for him all
over the country.
In Similar Danger
But. just as Wood in 1919 WAS
faced with a party situation which
tugured i'll for his ultimate success
the opposition and quiet wire-pullling
behind the scenes by astute Repub-
Hcan political leaders-so Is McAdoo
in similar danger.
Four years ago the slogan OF the
Republican Old Guard wal Beat
Wood First" The same slogan 10
being applied by Democratic leaders
like Charles Murphy, Brennan OF
Illinois. and Thomas Taggart OF In
diana
-Four years ago, the plan was caro-
fully worked out by the Republican
leaders to run down Wood with Gov
ernor Lowden of Illinois. and then.
when a deadlock was reached, put
through their own candidate The
plan was previously, though quietly,
announced by their spokesman and
the pragram went through without
a hitch
Strategy Is Similar
Unless all signs fail. the strategy
Of the Democratic old guard is simil-
arly directed now.
From the gathering Of Murphy,
Brennan and Taggart at French
Lick, Ind, has emanated In succession,
first the report they favored a wet
plank in the Democratic platform,
then that these party leaders serious
ly considered the advisability Of an
anu-Klan plank. and. lastly, that the
Big Three" advocated at least
moist plank and a redeclaration OF
the principle Of religious freedom as
embraced In the Constitution and as
recently uttered by Senator Ralston
of Indiana as his stand on the Khan
issue.
These reports may provo prophetic.
Senator Underwood Is regarded as
moist and is outspoken against the
Khan. He represents today the same
position OF availability In the Demo
Republican party four years ago. The
play looks this like:
Steam up plenty OF support for Un-
derwood to sidetrack McAdoo. Run
them to a deadlock in the early voting
in the convention-and then put over
the man the big three" wish.
Looks Like Ralston
OF course. the outlook now is that
the man would be Ralston. friend Of
Taggart. satisfactory to Brennan and
Murphy and a good votegetter. The
big trouble is Ralston is IS years old
For that reason 1t may be found ad-
viseble to get someone else-possibly
Cox again-but probably not.
In all events that is the program
as it shapes up now. Maybe someone
besides Underwood will finally be Sc
ected to run own McAdoo. or Under
wood himself will be found satisfac-
tory as a nominee. Perhaps someone
other than Ralston will be selected
as the compromise candidate If the
convention Is deadlocked.
The aim now is to beat McAdoo."
And McAdoo's fight ahead is just as
Tough as that which faced Wood four
years ago as he emerged victorious
from South Dakota.
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