The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-24
JOHNSON INVITES HIS GAL IF | R N | \
 ENEMIES T0 FIGHT
Senator Charges 0pponants "BurgIarized'' Friends Off,
 flee To Secure Letter

fornia discussing the political out look for 1924, impelled the senator to issue a statement tonight paying his respects to those who gave the letter to the public and adding that he hoped the incident would "be taken by the opposition as an invita- ton to a contest in California"
 Apart from candidates, the state ment said the progressive republt cans" of California are determined publican national convention next year must represent truly "a pro- Eressive republican state"
 The letter to whose publication the senator refererd was written from Europe in May. and was addressed to Charles K. McClatchy of Sacramento. In 1t MT. Johnson said he would like to be president. but saw no prospect that President Harding could be de- feated for nomination. He added that he was convinced the Johnson element could not rally it's d-time strength in California and doubted whether he could carry the state against Harding, Hoover or any other candidate
 Tonight's statement was prefaced by Senator Johnson with a stipula- tion that he was giving it out for publication ''on the express condition that 1t shall be published exactly as written and fully or not at aIl.' It was as follows:
 The only importance of the pub iication of this letter Is as ilIustra- tive of the kind of political opposi- tion we have in California-an op- position without limita tions of honor pr decency.
 Last May, while l was in Europe wrote to friend of mine, Charles K. McClatchy of Sacramento, an in- innate, personal letter. MT. Me Clatchy sent excerpts, and excerpts only of this letter in a letter of his own to Albert E. Boynton of San Francisco, chairman of the republi- can state central committee of Cali fornia.
 Andy Lawrence, formerly of Chi cago, is publishing a small paper in San Francisco called tAt Journal Lawrence is the chief supporter in northern California of Herbert Hoover and ~eNotes himself to men, dacious abu-e of me. Lawrence sur reptitiously obtained letters from the files and private office of Mr. Boyu- ton and among these found the let ter of McCl1tchy to Boynton with excerpts from my letter and published McClatchys letter in his paper This is the letter now being circulated by him and published in the east.
 There are some things that must not be done, even in politics, anu that
  done. One of these is burglarizing an opponents rooms or stealing his private property, or private corre- spondence or receiving things thus appropriated. This is exactly what was done in this particular instance.
 Fortunately, aside from little in- tImacles which occur in the corre- spondence of every man and woman, there is nothing in any correspon- dence of mine that cannot be re- vealed or published. do ob- ject, however, to grand larceny or petty thieving in politics or busi- ness.
 T may add that I hope the letter may be taken by the opposition, well exemplified in this instance, as an invitation to a contest in California. Progressive republicans tFere, apart from any candidacies, are determined mat the delegates to the republican national convention next year shall represent California as California is a progressive republican state"
 The excerpts from the senator's s letter to Mir. McClatchy. as published today in several eastern newspapers, are as follows;
 Would Like Presidency.
 'I feel that Harding will be able to renominate himself. though some very good people like Senator Moses and George Henry Payne, believe otherwise and want to commence an active campaign. As ] have said to you often, l would like to be Presi- dent. l think any American in polti- cal life whC pretends otherwise is wholly hNpocritical. Ie realize, how ever political realities, and I can not see success in an active candf- dscy. A sort of passive attitude never brought me anywhere and my natural inclination is to fight. This though, is a kind of valor of igno- rance, or binding ones self to actu- altties and hardly wise. The next few months pt ssibly will clarifv the political atmosphere, and any per sonal declaration I am leaving en- tirely to the future.
 "The delegation from California however, is a different matter. It ought to be composed of our friends, not a compromise Cf some of our friends and some of our enemies. and this whether we have a candi- date or not. If progressives are go- ing to continue in politics in Califor- mia, 1t seems obvious to me that they must get ready to redeem themselves and the state. If they permit Chand- Ter. Dickson. Andy Lawrence and the Ht over crowd to control the national delegation and again elect a national committeeman they might just. as well resign themselves to the role of outsiders. Since last year I have en- deaNored to impress this on all our friends. We lost California princi- pslly because we compromised, be- cause they feared we would Whip them and who remained as conserva- tive and reaetionary as ever, but bided their time tC strike. We de- Etroyed the morale of progressives and convinced the ordinary individual we are no different than our oppo- nents, that we sought political suc- cess only.
 Never Yielding.
 My strength, while I was gov srnor, was never yielding for an in- stant to the old rotten crew, stand ing always the same. My weakness t. day is that l have yielded and given power, position and political strength to the very men l so often formerly denounced. The past is past. and I have only referred to it as instructive flor the future. 1 am under no illu- sions now about California. Really EC. K, l doubt if I could carry it against Harding, Hoover or any other candidate. The old crew are in the saddle. For the first time since 1910 they have the state, all its offices end an active militant organization both in publicity and otherwise.
 ''Chandler has been in Washington lately. He is to have charge of the Presidents itinerary in California He boasted, so my letters say. after the city's election and Frederick s victory in Los Angeles, that he now has California In his vest pocket He spGke of national delegates next year, with a ticket to be led by Hoover and Richardson, and made all arrangements to bring a Harding delegation from California Now, singularly enough, though my stock is low in my own state. it has very great possibilities in other states. If