Advertisement

Why Charles Evans Hughes lost California to Wilson

By PERRY ARNOLD, United Press Staff Correspondent

NEW YORK, Nov. 10, 1916 (UP) - In the first place, they play politics very seriously in California.

Up until summer there was bitter warfare between the old guard Republicans and the Progressives, mostly recruited from the Republican fold, but who revolted against the type of rule which they claimed the G.O.P. of the state sought to enforce.

Advertisement

Then came the peace of Chicago, and Hiram Johnson, progressive of Progressives, four years ago Roosevelt's running mate returned to Republicanism with most of his followers.

Johnson announced for the senatorship and started active campaigning for Hughes and himself.

The first Californian whom Hughes met on his tour of the Pacific coast was Chester H. Rowell of the Republican campaign committee, former ardent Progressive and former bitter enemy of the "regulars."

Rowell made a special trip to Oregon to meet Hughes and inform him that the "regulars" headed by National Committeeman William H. Crocker and former state chairman Francis V. Keesling planned to adopt the candidate and guard him from all contact with their former enemies, the Progressives.

Advertisement

Rowell told Hughes Crocker was the same man who last December, at the meeting of the Republican committee pleaded against compromise with the Progressives and begged for "one more chance to get Johnson." But Hughes adhered to his policy of keeping hands off state rows.

The committee which met his train was composed exclusively of "regulars," with a few picked Progressives - Progressives whom the regular Progressives refused to recognize as of their kin.

In San Francisco it developed that no arrangements had been made by the Crocker-Keesling committee for Hughes to meet Johnson.

Progressives said they had been told they were "not wanted" at the mass meeting which Hughes addressed.

To add to the mixup Hughes was invited to a luncheon of the Chamber of Commerce, but before the time set all the waiters joined a strike then on throughout the city.

Union labor was greatly angered when Hughes attended this luncheon and was served by "scab" help.

The arrangements committee kept him in ignorance of the strike and how union labor in the city would regard his attendance at the luncheon under such circumstances.

In Los Angeles the following Sunday Hughes motored out to Long Beach - and it wasn't until he returned to the city that he was informed that he had been in the same hotel at the same time that Johnson was.

Advertisement

Hughes dispatched an emissary to see Johnson and explain that he didn't know the governor was present - but Progressives throughout the state considered there was a slight to Johnson.

They knew Hughes' tour thru the state was managed by Crocker and Keesling, Johnson's foes at heart, though in the same party.

Hughes left California without seeing Johnson.

Throughout the state Hughes was greeted by enormous audiences.

He spoke mainly on Americanism, the tariff, the ship purchase bill and industrial efficiency. That was before the Adamson law was enacted.

When Hughes left the state Rowell criticized Hughes' omission of any word of thanks for work which Progressives had done.

Rowell said Hughes' speeches had been like "feeding infant food to real Progressives."

Later came returns from the senatorial primary showing an overwhelming plurality for Johnson. Hughes from Colorado wired him congratulations and thanks for his speeches. This was the only communication between the two men which found its way into print during the campaign.

Latest Headlines