Omaha daily bee., 1915-11-17
FRIENDS OF HUGHES
SAY HE Is CERTAIN
TO REFUSE TO RUN
Associate Justice of United States
Supreme Court Declared to
Adhere Still to First An
nounced Position.
REEDS ATTITUDE CoMPLICATEs
Mr.. Hughes Said to Be in Mood to
Resort to Court Action if
Necessary.
WHOLE COUNTRY IS WATCHING

WASHINGTON. Nov. 16.--(spe-
cial Telegram. )-Attorney General
Reed. II reports in the eastern press
are true. has made it harder for
man to refuse to be n candidate for
any old Job than II is for camel
to pass through the eye OF needle"
/ According to press announcements,
the attorney general of Nebraska, In
view OF the filing Of Justice Hughes
name for president, has ruled that
there are only two ways in which a
name may be eliminated from the
ballot--by resort to a court of equity
or by a request for its withdrawal
from the secretary of states office
signed by those who had originally
signed the endorsement.
Never heard OF such n thing" said
! Senator Norris. Don't believe It's possi-
bic for such an Interpretation TO be put
upon our primary laws. II man can
| not decline to be a candidate for speci-
| fled office then the law ought to be
J amended"
Hughes Not Candidate.
Further, the Junior senator from Ne
braska said he had It from unimpeach-
able authority that Justice Hughes
would not be candidate for president
| and II nominated would be compelled to
decline to make the race
The Evening star prints the following
with reference to the Hughes situation In
Nebraska: Mr.. Justice Hughes of the
supreme court will demand the with
drawai OF the petition filed by Nebraska
republicans placing his name on the pri-
mary ballot as candidate for the re-
publican nomination for the presidency OF
the United States.
THE action of the Nebraska republi-
cans was taken without his knowledge.
contravenes his actual position and will
be repudiated.
VIII Make Position Clear.
mo attitude of acduiescence In efforts
to place him In the position Of being a
receptive candidate for the nomination
| will be tolerated, and actions which would
t-eveK InfeFsntiKIfy put hin n such posi-
tl6u will be disclsimed
while he remained upon the supreme
court bench participating in decisions af-
fecting the people at large. II would be
unthinkable to him that he should counte-
nance such a course as that of the Ne
braskans.
''He is not going to resign from the su-
preme court, which would be the step 20
be taken by one in his position who CON
templated being a candidate. He has Is
sued one formal statement upon. the sub
| ject and does not deem II necessary to re-
peat It.
Immediately upon reading the an
nouhcement In the newspapers, which
came as a surprise, that formal petition
had been filed with the secretary of
state OF Nebraska. containing the requis-
lite number OF signatures, putting the
name of Charles f. Hughes on the prl-
mary ballot. II. l.. Green. Justice Hughes
secretary, telegraphed to Secretary of
State Pool requesting him to mail n copy
Of form OF the petition. When that ~
rives formal demand will be made by
Justice Hughes that his name be re-
moved from the ballot on the ground
that It was placed there without his
knowledge or consent.
Reed VIII Decide.
"A dispatch from Lincoln quotes Attor-
ney General Reed as holding that under
the law OF the state, Justice Hughes can
not withdraw his name OF his own act.
but must resort to court proceedings to
have 1t stricken from the ballot.
''Nebraskans In Washington say that
casual perusal OF the statute with its
amendments would indicate that n per-
son named as a candidate without his
consent may withdraw. They realize,
however, that n the attorney general
renders any opinion 10 the contrary the
secretary OF state will be bound by such
decision In that event only court OF
law could relieve Justice Hughes from
the position In which he Is placed and
legal proceedings will be involved Poll
ticians here said today that the action of
the Nebraska petitioners presents the
issue pointedly 10 Justice Hughes whether
he is to be In the presidential race or
not. and that his action or attitude IN the
immediate future will be accepted by the
country at large as definitive OF his in
tention as 10 candidacy.
Hughes Aware Of situation.
Republican politicians say that justice
Hughes is fully aware OF this fact and
knows that 70 allow his name 10 remain
on the ballot would be susceptible OF
only one construction, and that he was a
receptive candidate.
They said thatNno amount Of personal
disclaimer OF intention to want the nom-
ination would outweigh the practical fact
that his name had been presented I'm due
form as by statute provided to the voters
Of the state OF Nebraska and allowed TO
stand
'"rhe zealousness OF the Nebraska re.
publlcans II was said by tie politicians
had put the issue squ@rely before Justice
Hughes compelling him TO positive action
on the one hand or acquiesence on the
other.
His course. as defined in the foregirs,.
Is expected by the politicians TO be of
the utmost Importance to other republic
ans who are regarded as candidates for
the nomination"