Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-01-24
M'ADOO in TALK
FOR PRESIDENCY
Democratic Politicians Are on
Sheir Toes For Prepared
ness at Nations Capitol

Washington.-Wash Just
aan't help talking and gossiping
fralitically. It's part of the days
day here. Right now, even with
the peace conference on over in
Paris, the political speculation is un-
usually interesting because of the
approaching meeting of the Demo-
,sratic national committee here jan
rary 2S.
Whatever they may think about
national preparedness, the politi-
clans are on their toes for political
Preparedness. And the G. Q. p.
having had their preliminary meet
ing in Chicago some weeks ago to
put "feelers" out for 1920, the DEM
ocrats must follow suit. The resig-
nation of Vance Mccormick as ma
tional chairman gave "a good oppor-
tunity to call a powwow. And so
while almost every one knows VINO
his successor will be-, Homer Cum
mings, of Connecticut, yet all the
big leaders and little leaders and
peewees, politically speaking, are to
gather and mill it all over. 1T Is
1920.
Say Wilson is Out of 1t
One of the most peculiar. phases
of the situation here from the Dem
ocfatic standpoint is the conclusion
drawn by the politicians from. Col
onel Roosevelt's death. At once.
everyone began to say: We'll, that
ends any chance of President VII
son running for third term" Just
why it should have anything to do
with Mr.. Wilson's intentions one
way or other, is difficult to see. 1t
probably won't. But politicians say
it will. The psychology of the stu
alton would be wrong for Mr.. VIII
son, they believe, unless Colonel
Roosevelt were his opponent. Any
how when you mention the presi-
dental situation they generally in
ject something like this: with Mr..
Wilson out of it now, as he is, 1T
will be thus and so.' Mr.. Wilson
isn't famed for taking others into
his confidence. He didn't consult
others in naming the peace ENJOYS
even. So good many months or
winter and summer and then winter
will doubtless pass before anTone
can say authoritatively what Mf.
Wilson intends TO do. But the dis
position is to regard him now as
mot candidate again.
William Gibbs McAdoo, the Presi-
dents son-in-law, and former secre-
tary of the treasury and director
general of railroads, is the most po-
Rental possibility right now. Or
course. Mr.. McAdoo hasn't an
bounced and won't. No candidate
is going to invite such unpleasant
attention as the early bird candidate
always gets so far ahead of time.
But they rather take 1t as a matter
of course here that he will be in the
running. And McAdoo doesn't dis
abuse this impression. In fact, var
ious things indicate his ambitions
pointedly. , For example, on leaV-
ing his work here, McAdoo gave a
dinner to q group of men more than
ordinarily influential politically.
There were speeches and speeches
as those things go. And Mr.. NC
Adoo was not only nominated but
elected before it was all over. All
this didn't make the retiring secre-
tary of the treasury at all angry,
among chose present" do say. So
with Wilson out of II, IL he Is, every
one right now calculates from the
Democratic side it will be McAdoo
against the field. OF course, twelve
months may upset everything
that's just the talk now.
One thing is certain: McAdoo
won't shy from it. Secretary Baker
would be the favorite of the parlor
Socialist, extreme reform fringe. He
speaks their language more than
of faded lately In fact that is one
of the most noteworthy incidents of
quiet Washington right now. Chief
of Staff March is the "he man" type,
SO much was heard of early in the
war. Whether for good or bad, few
uuestion who is running the big
show in the War Department now.
Others may fool around with the
side shows but General March oc-
cupies the main ring. He runs 1t.
And as General March has grown
Baker has faded.
Right now the anti-administration
Democrats appear to flirt around
Speaker Champ Clark. This is the
Hearst Reed group. Right now
Clark. doesn't look one, two, three
as a successful candidate, but such
h combination might be able to get
block of one-third the delegates
and have something to say about
who it would be. They won't other
wise. The party machinery, be 1t
said, is firmly in the hands of the
administration and the President. .
Some mention Herbert Hoover.
The Senator from Missouri is not
one of these. The only trouble with
mis- is that Hoover is Republican
Or is supposed to be. He was accred-
ted as a Republican when named
as food administrator If Mr.. Hoover
were nominated for the presidency,
t's a cinch the G.. o. p. would do
t, not the Democrats. for he trains
more with the Republicans. The
Republicans might trot out some
Hoover talk to see how it caught on.
But it won't come from the Demo-
Gratis. The setting isn't right. The
Democratic feelers right now are
behind the McAdoo boom. m
Mention of Hoover though Is like
that of General Pershing. Hoover
hasn't voted. People here who
proudly claim to know Pershing
real we'll say he hasn't either but
hat he is Republican IL anything.
Politicians of any brand don't put
put feelers or boost at this stage of
he game men whose politics are SO
doubtful. They take them when 1t
s popular to do so and climb
aboard to win, not because they
want to,