Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 308, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 December 1919 — PERSHING’S RACE GIVES ANXIETY TO WOOD FORCES. [ARTICLE]

PERSHING’S RACE GIVES ANXIETY TO WOOD FORCES.

New York, Dec. 22.—Announcement that Gen. Pershing’s western friends are organizing to make him the republican presidential nominee provoked anxiety among Wood and delight among Lowden managers. Wood’s backers feared the Pershing candidacy would produce a military combat that would eliminate both generals from the race. Lowden’s friends hail the contest as likely to force the nomination of a civilian, with their favorite to the fore. At both Wood headquarters and at the Biltmore, temporary headquarters of the Lowden folks, it was recalled that a feud has existed for years between, Pershing and Wood. They quarreled while Pershing was in the Philippines, so their mutual admirers say. Wood has found it hard to forgive Pershing for failing even to thank him for recommending his promotion from a lieutenancy to a captaincy after the war with Spaih. The late CoL Roosevelt’s devotion to Wood, the gen-, eral’s friends say, induced President Wilson to send Pershing instead of Wood to Mexico in 1814 to “get Villa.” ' Though Wood was his ranking officer, Pershing was chosen to lead the A. E. F. to. France. These and other incidents are reported as illustrating the animosity between the two generals. Former Senator Burkett’s starting the Pershing campaign in Nebraska is, resented by Wood managers., Wood has been stationed in that state many tunes and his managers believed that they had all but clinched. the delegation to Chicago when the Pershing candidacy was sprung. So anxious about the injunction of the Pershing boom did Manager John T. King of the Wood forces •become today that he telephoned General Wood at Chicago and asked that he come here quickly for a conference. The general may be in New York within a day or two. Joseph C. Mason, Governor Lowden’s acting manager, did not conceal his gratification that Pershing and Wood might Moon be at one another’s political throats. “We can watch the contest and go on getting delegates* for the governor,” said Mr. Mason jubilantly. ‘ / “We arb satisfied with the situation. Since the governor’s arrival here he has seen many republicans. They all offer help and encouragement. We shall not antagonize any candidate if we .can. help it. But we shall do all we can to nominate the governor. _ .*1 “Possibly when Governor Lowden returns here January I'2 to address the Bankers’ convention some of his western friends will come to look over the field. We |assume that Massachusetts will be for Coolidge.” Political wise men agree tiiat the

New York delegation will go to the Chicago convention split in perhaps a half dozen factions. There will be Wood, Lowden, Harding, Johnson, Poindexter and possibly Pershing delegates in it.