San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-04-04
JOHNSON MAY
/ ANNOUNCE AS
{ A CANDIDATE
Californian Wants U. 5. to
Have Nothing to Do
With Europe.
COP. RANKS NERVOUS
Unless Senator Is Satisfied
Will Oppose Hard
ing in 1924. IL

Copyright. by The San Antonio Light.
Washington, ID. C., April Al
President Harding wants TO court
trouble inside the Republican party
and make an avowed candidate for
the presidency out of Senator Hiram
johnson of California, let him listen
to the pleas Of men like Nicholas
Murray Butler and other advocates
of closer relations with Europe.
This is the prediction of those who
know Hiram Johnson's way of think
ing and who are able 10 say under
what circumstances he will be a can
didate in opposition TO President
Harding. and under what conditions
he will remain passive in the pre-
convention campaign.
The California senator has gone to
Europe to get impressions further to
confirm his conviction that America
ought TO have as little to do with the
turmoil abroad as possible.
But just before he sailed num-
Der of conflicting rumors were cur
rent to the effect that he had asked
Senator George Moses of New Hamp-
shire TO be his campaign manager and
another that he had given assurances
of his support 10 President Hard
ing in the event the latter desired o
denomination.
Talked With Harding.
1t is not generally known, but
The fact can be revealed now, that
Senator JohnOsn was invited 10 the
White House shortly before Mr. Hard
ing left for Florida and they discuss
cd primarily some federal judge APP
pointments in California. The con-
ference was of such an amicable char
acter that after it occurred the word
was whispered about that all talk OF
Johnosn making a fight against the
denomination of the President could
be dismissed as idle chatter.
1t was not that the President was
able to satisfy the wishes of Senator
johnson on California matters in
which he was interested, but that
Mr.. johnson was represented rs be-
lieving he would have no just reason
TO open a fight against the President
so long as he did not 60 any further
than he has already with respect TO
foreign policy.
Mr.. johnson was outspoken later
in his denunciation of the Presidents
proposal TO make America a mem
Der of the international court of JUS
tice, but his basic opposition was not
To the court as much as to the fact
that the court judges are selected
through the machinery Of the League
of Nations. The California senator
feared that one step would lead to an
other and America would enter the
league by the back door"
1t cannot be said finally that the
world court proposal is sufficient Of
an issue for Mr.. johnson to break
with Mr.. Harding. but anything be-
yond that certainly will arouse the
ire of the California senator and re-
lease him from any previous decision
10 support Mr.. Harding for renomi-
nation.
Ee would point TO the 1920 cam
paigh pledges and build his opposition
on the ground that the President has
strayed from the principles which Mr..
johnson believes we're instrumental in
winning 1000, 900 majority.
! A Announcement.
The nearest approach TO public
announcement of Hiram Johnson's
candidacy was made several weeks
ago, before the conference between the
California senator and President
Harding. 1t occurred in San Fran
cisco before the Lincoln Roosevelt
League, the same organization that
sponsored johnson in his first gov