COLISEUM, CHICAGO, June 12, 1920 (UP) - A belief that Senator Warren G. Harding will be nominated for president by the Republicans before the nightfall permeated the big Coliseum when delegates gathered there this afternoon to resume balloting. The air was vibrant with excitement. The galleries were a constant wave of motion. On the floor of the convention delegates jammed the aisles and engaged in animated conversation.
The Ohio delegation and other Harding adherents came in ready to spring a big Harding demonstration. A huge photograph of the Ohio senator, decorated with flags, appeared in the Ohio section, and the rear of the hall was crowded with excited boosters carrying Harding standards.
Cries of "Harding!" were started from the gallery at intervals. Delegates from other, states began visiting the Ohio section, congratulating the Ohio delegates.
The Ohio delegation was a center of attraction. The move to desert other candidates for Harding was far from being universal, however, Johnson men on the Illinois delegation declared they would not switch. There was still Lowden yelling.
In the Missouri delegation one man climbed to his chair and in a voice hoarse and ragged from extensive cheering made a speech urging votes for Harding. His shirt was unbuttoned at the neck and his tie pinned to his shirt front while he fanned himself vigorously as he talked.
The Kansas delegates were discussing the proposition of uprooting their standard and carrying it over where the Ohioan sat. The crowd was happy and full of fresh enthusiasm despite the heat. The band played with a new swing and "What's the matter with Harding?" roared from one of the side galleries.
At 4:12 the stage apparently was set. The galleries were packed to the roof. On the floor hundreds of outsiders forced their way into the section reserved for delegates and milled round in general confusion.
Someone in the gallery started singing, "Hail, Hail, the Gang's All Here." Part of the crowd joined in, but the vocal efforts were squelched when an Ohio delegate forced his way to the rostrum with the gigantic photograph of his candidate.
Small photographs of Harding came fluttering down from the roof like a snowstorm.
The Ohioans then attempted to plant their Harding standard on the rostrum.
A cry of "Don't do that; don't do that" came from the Connecticut delegation and the effort was given up.
At 4:16 Chairman Lodge had not arrived and the impatient crowd was howling for action.
Former Governor Willis, who placed Harding in nomination yesterday, predicted that "the cyclone will strike about the tenth ballot." He said the trend would approach big dimensions on the ninth ballot.
J. Henry Rorabach, chairman of the Connecticut delegation, said that state would cast all except one of its votes for Harding on the next ballot.
It was one of the hottest days of the session, but the humidity acted as no deterrent on the spirits of the throng.
As the tide began swinging to Harding, a crowd in the gallery, just over the California delegation, commenced leaning over and yelling down at the Californians: "Vote for Harding! Vote for Harding!"
There were similar scenes throughout the Coliseum. Again and again the delegates flocked into the aisles and congregated in the space before the speaker's stand. Lodge lost his voice yelling for order.
The galleries set up a chanting for Harding. Every gain he made was received with a gust of cheering. The report had been thoroughly circulated that Harding had been agreed on as the nominee. Lowden and Wood rooters staged demonstrations. At the same time many delegates stood on chairs, shouting from one delegation to another, and the chairman had great difficulty in restoring order.
Loud arguments, accompanied with much gesticulating, arose in various delegations. When such quarrels occurred other delegates jumped to their chairs and there was much noise in the galleries.
Each time the California delegation stood solidly for Johnson there was a little ragged applause which quickly subsided. As Poindexter managers predicted, the Washington contingent stood solidly for the senator on every vote.
Every time the roll call reached New York and Pennsylvania with their big blocks of votes there was a settling down and a hissing for silence, in evident expectation that a heavy vote would be delivered for Harding. But Pennsylvania remained loyal to Sproul votes, giving most of them to Lowden, and there was a rumble of disappointment.
Eller Parry, Cleveland high school boy, started a demonstration in the Congress hotel this afternoon for Senator Harding. Parry predicted Harding would be nominated on the first ballot after the recess.
