The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1924-01-04
Hi johnson.
FlaysC.O.P..
Committee
California Senator in Opening
Address of Presidential
Campaign Turns Guns
on Administration
Advocates Tax Reduction

Cleveland, Jan. "A bitter attack
on the republican national committee
Tor its action in increasing southern
delegate representation to the ma
tional convention. a big gun lombard
fnent against the administration for
supplying arms and ammunition to
the Obregon forces in Mexico and a
thrown gauntlet to the Ohio state
central committee, which endorsed
President Coolidge for the republ
can nomination. marked the opening
address of Senator Hiram johnson of
California in his campaign for the
presidential nomination here today.
Ex-senator johnson also made from
tai attack on the foreign policy of the
administration. reiterated his Chi
cago speech insofar as it referred to
his unqualifiedly favoring a soldiers
bonus. cautioned the people to look
carefully into the Mellon taxation
plan, although advocating a reduos
ton in taxes in no uncertain terms,
advocated help for farmers by lower
ing of freight rates and cooperative
societies and finished with a scath-
ing arraignment of those who would
have the country join in the world
court.
Il recently have observed that GER
tain people, including the dis
tinguished Detroit manufacturer.
have deplored that we should have
an election this year" said Senator
Johnson, land perhaps at all; and
many politicians denounce me be-
cause l have interfered with the Sc.
renity of the occasion and have not
permitted their plans for nomina-
ton by default to be consummated.
! shall not concede that collectors OF
revenue, United States marshals.
postmasters and other office holders
may themselves alone nominate can
didates for the presidency.
For Direct Legislation.
.sThe leaders upon the other side
have demonstrated by recent actions
their contempt for the men and
women who in reality constitute the
republican party. Our opponents do
not believe in direct primaries and
direct legislation. ! insist the repub-
licans in Ohio shall have an equal
right in determining the nominee for
Z president with the republicans III
Nouth Carolina. Obviously our OPP
nents do not SO believe.
Just as pollution at the source Of
the stream will pollute the whole
stream, wrong and injustice In the Sc
lection of delegates to nationai
convention will permeate and taint
the very convention itself.
Senator johnson then reviewed the
action Of the 1920 republican con-
yention in reducing the southern del
eeation and said it was step IN
Yhe right direction" as it Is a basis
for further reductions. He then tod
of the recent action of the national
committee in washington under the
order OF our opponents" in again Civ
ing them the original representation
and termed it 'scandalous and Unfair
representation.
II sneak of this outrageously un-
fair selection of delegates because
there is real service we can render,
said the senator. Nine southern
states polled $4,000 votes for Presi-
dent Harding. These nine states have
134 delegates. Ohio polled 1,l52,0oo
votes and has 81 delegates to the
convention.
Attacks National Committee.
.'There is not the remotest posi-
bility Of single elector being chosen
in any OF the nine southern states.
and vet the national committee re-
GENTLY deliberately increased the rep
resentation contemptuously repudi
ated the mandate of the national con-
yention of 1920 and broke faith with
the rank and file of the republican
marty all over the land. These south
ern delegates are selected by COM
mands issued in Washington to
very few federal office holders in the
xferent states. The action OF the
national committee is reversion to
the abhorrent conditions from which
we thought we had emerged. 1t is
this system upon which we war"
Senator johnson stated he had com
plied with the law OF Alabama and
expected his name to go on the bal
lot. but that his opponents were try
ing to defeat the intent OF the law
by preventing the primary from TAX
ing place. He stated 1t took two su-
preme court decisions to put his name
on the ballot in South Dakota. lie
then threw down the gauntlet to the
Ohio republican state central commit
tee by telling them no committee. mo
matter how influential or how rich
could dictate to the people Of Ohio,
as to who should represent that state
at the republican national convention.
The state committee recently endors.
ed President Coolidge. Reverting to
the Mexican situation, Senator John
son stated that the United States is
furnishing arms and munitions to
obregon in Mexico to fight revolution
there