Booms

The march to the National Conventions next June passed last week through the great State of South Dakota. There a primary was in progress. Interest centered principally on the Republican ballot where Calvin Coolidge was contesting with Hiram Johnson The struggle was hard, with victory wavering from one standard to another. In the end Mr. Johnson won by a few hundred votes. Thereupon Senator Johnson exclaimed:

"In the fight in South Dakota the most reckless and shameless use of money was made by the President, not only in hiring an army of orators, but in buying full-page advertisements in every paper in South Dakota and in utilizing circulation without stint."

Mr. Coolidge's manager in South Dakota replied : "The full-page newspaper advertisements were inserted in but a very few of the newspapers of South Dakota. These advertisements consisted largely of letters, telegrams and statements from the Senator's former friends and supporters in California.

'This so-called 'army of orators' consisted of the following: Secretary of Labor James J. Davis, ex-Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw, ex-Governor Harding of lawa, former Congressman Humphreys of Washington, James Knox of Indiana.

"No other speakers were sent into South Dakota, and but a very few residents of South Dakota took the stump in behalf of the President. The statement that the campaign had been carried on by 'the most reckless and shameless use of money has no more justification than the statement with regard to the use of an 'army of orators.'

"We regard this as a moral victory for President Coolidge. Rarely has South Dakota in recent years been carried by a conservative in the primarien when there was a division in the Republican Party."

Such was the week's main progress, leaving the leading candidates in approximately the following positions:

Calvin Coolidge. His managers pointed out that of the 555 delegates necessary to secure his nomination 255 are already instructed for him, either by primary or by conventions: Colorado 15

Georgia 2 out of 18

Idaho 11

Iowa 29

Kansas 21 out of 23

Kentucky 26

Louisiana 13

Minnesota 27

Mississippi 12

Missouri 10 out of 39

New Hampshire 11

New Mexico 9

North Carolina 22

North Dakota 13

South Carolina 11

Tennessee 4 out of 27

Virginia 17

Philippines 2

Total for Coolidge 255

They added that 300 more delegates will be forthcoming. There may well be 500 or 600 more for Coolidge. Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington are very likely, and should add 200 of the group, not to mention accretions from Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio, Indiana and Michigan, which will have 256 votes all told. "Coolidge on the first ballot" is extremely probable. Hiram W. Johnson. The Senator from California had, to console himself, the delegates from South Dakota. That they were secured by so small a margin was disappointing to Johnson followers. It implied that the Northwestern "radical belt" where he ought to be strongest was far from being solidly behind him. While the final results in South Dakota were being counted, William Wrigley (chewing gum), one of the financial backers of Johnson, let it be known that he was no longer an active supporter of the Californian. Said he: "So far as I can see, Coolidge is a cinch for the Republican nomination. Mr. Johnson is my good friend and I would like to see him President, but I don't think he can get the nomination because he is getting nowhere with his candidacy." Doubtless Mr. Johnson feels similarly, but is hanging on in hope that a mishap will overtake his opponent before the Republican convention. William G. McAdoo. The only man who will go to the Democratic Convention with a large block of votes is the former Secretary of the Treasury. But since the disclosure of his large legal fees from Doheny, his pretensions to the Democratic nomination are not taken very seriously in political quarters. The Others. The press took it upon itself to announce that there were 26 competitors for the Democratic nomination, but some of the 26 listed--notably, William R. Hearst and William J. Bryan--were damaging to the credibility of the proposal. A list of the leading Democratic contenders must, however, include: Senator Ralston of Indiana, Senator Carter Glass of Virginia, Senator Underwood of Alabama, ex-Ambassador John W. Davis, ex-Governor J. M. Cox of Ohio, Governor Silzer of New Jersey, Governor Smith of New York.

A movement was reported to name General Charles G. Dawes of Chicago for Vice President on the Republican ticket with Coolidge. Mr. Dawes, abroad on a matter of reparations, has not had opportunity to express himself fully on the subject.