Evening star., 1925-08-09
JOHNSON DECLARES
WAR ON 'CAMANT
Californian VIII Fight Con-
flrmation of Coolidge Nom
inee to Federal Bench.
RY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.
stas Correspondent OF The star.

lace MCCamant of oregon, sometimes
called the man who made Coolidge
President will be the hero-possibly
the victim-of another bitter confirma
tion fight in the United States Senate
McCamant's nomination as a judge OF
the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals
for the jurisdiction embracing the Pa
cif1C Coast Hawaii and our courts ir
CHINA Is to be opposed by Senator
Hiram w. Johnson of California
johnson alleges that Judge Mccain
ant. who received a recess appoint
ment from President Coolidge in MAY
and is already functioning, violated
the primary law of Oregon at the Re
publican national convention of 1920
The alleged violation consisted of Nc
tamant's refusal to vote for Johnson
for President, in spite of the fact that
Johnson carried the Oregon presiden
tial preference primaries.
Oregon expects the controversy Il
develop into a second Warren case.
Both sides are girdinC for the fray.
johnson has formally and publicly
denounced MCCamant as unfit 10 be
Federal judge" not only because he
is q "lawbreaker," but because he is
2 breaker of faith" with the Repub.
lican electors of Oregon. The judge
enters a vigorous denial on both
counts. McCamant's defense is that
Hhl pnlN -nat ne OHlD2IIleulN ana
openly declared that under no circum-
stances, if elected delegate. would
he support Johnson, but that Johnson
was not the actual choice of Oregon s
Republican voters.
McCamant's Record Assailed.
Johnson will launch triple bar
relied attack on Judge McCamant.
lie is preparing to charge that be-
VII no To- ~.
ing the people. McCamant has past
that units him for the Federal bench.
oreSonians who know Hiram John
sons ruthlessness in a fight expect
him to shrink from no opportunity to
prevent McCamant's confirmation.
Even the directly personal link be-
tween the Judge and President Cool
idge's political fortunes viii not re-
strain the impetuous and implacable
Hiram, Portland is convinced. John.
son may even be spurred into extra
zeal because of that relationship. for
ever since fate thrust Calvin Coolidge
into the presidency in 1928, the dis
gruntled Californian has remorsefully
Soliloquized over what might have
heen if he, not Coolidge, had been
nominated for the vice presidency in
1a20. NJ one time that prize was
within Hirams grasp.
In Oregon stories are current that
Johnson's intention is to trump up
some ancient history connected with
q certain Portland taX-hXine trans.
action, in which he hopes TO show that
Judge McCamant. i or Is years ago,
played an unconventional role. Nc.
Camant's friends understa nd that lin
vestigators," prowling in Johnsons in
terest, are now snooping around Port
and. Many years ago there We're some
title and trust company proceedings.
involving a big Portland estate. in
which McCamant figured as a lawyer.
Allegations of CroOkedneSs cropped up
before the affair was finally settled.
Johnson's sleuths are expected to fer
ret this old story out. too, and spring
it before the Senate confirmation
fight is over
Nominated Coolidge.
The whole episode will make the
country bark back to that hot Satur-
day afternoon at the Republican ma
tional convention in Chicago five
years ago. when the plans of the Old
Guard were so dramatically disrupted
by the action of Il delegate from the
Northwest. 1t was in the cards that
Senator Lenroot of Wisconsin was to
he Mr.. HardinG's Vice President run
ming mate. The late Senator Medill
Mccormick of Illinois had already
placed Lenroot in nomination. Then
arose Wallace McCamant of the Ore
Gon delegation. The Oregon primaries
had indorsed Senator Henry Cabot
Lodge for Vice President. Lodge de-
clined the honor. so McCamant, ex-
planning that circumstance, offered the
perspirinG convention the name of
Gov. Calvin Coolidge of Massac sachusetts
Il was not long before the floor was
huzzing with seconding speeches by
delegates from all parts of the coun-
try. II speedily became evident that
Coolidge was the conventions real
choice. Five minutes later he was
nominated on the first ballot.
McCamant ever ssince has received
the lions share of the credit for
sprinSing Coolidge upon the conven.
tion and, as events of relatively few
months later were destined to prove,
for making him President Of the
United States" When the vacancy in
the ninth judicial circuit OF the Court
Of Appeals occurred, McCamant be-
came a candidate for the place. His
nomination ensued. and, although he
was indorsed by practically the entire
bench and bar of the Pacific coast
and the Northwest, the appointment
generally was attributed TO President
Coolidge's gratitude for the historic
service McCamant rendered him at
tnlCdSO IN June. lHZU.
Legal Questions Involved.
Involved in the controversy pro.
voked by Senator Johnson is d tangle
of legal technicalities. They concern
the Oregon statute. providing for cleo
tion of delegates to presidential con-
Nentions. Chapter 124 of the statute
provides that candidates for delegate
can get on the ticket merely by pay
ing SIS fee and making a declaration
that they will Use his best efforts TO
bring about the nomination of those
persons for President and Vice Presi-
dent of the United States who receive
the largest number of votes at the
coming primary election in the State
Of Oregon" Chapter 242 of the statute
provides method by which a candi-
date for delegate can put his name on
the primary ballot by the circulation
of petitions, to he signed in the aEgre-
gate by 500 electors. Neither statute
124 nor 242 contains any mandate or
instructions to delegates to vote in ac-
ccrdance with the result of the presi-
GENITAL preference primary. although
The former imposes what amounts to
a pledge upon the elected delegate.
McCamant went upon the ballot under
chapter 242, which has no pledge pro-
vision.
In announcing himself a candidate
for delegate to the Chicago conven-
ton. Judge McCamant made it known
far and wide-in private conversa-
tions with political leaders, including
JohnSon's own manager; in letters to
voters, and in public utterances-that
under no circumstances would he sup
port Johnson for President, either in
the convention or elsewhere To a
voter at Salem, who rejoices in the
noble name of Daniel Webster, Judge