The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-04-27
HITCHCOCK BOOM IS
TO BE SPRUNG SOON
Nebraskan Gains Strength for
Presidential Nomination
by Democrats.
MAY GET WILSON BACKING
As Spokesman for League of
Nations in Senate He Will
Improve Chances.
Special Despatch to The srS


WAsHINoroN, April 26.-Political OBJ
servers who have been keeping close
watch on developments In the Demo-
cratic party have reached the conclu-
sion that new Presidential candidate
may loom up soon on the Democratic
horizon In the person of Senator Gil
bert W. Hitchcock, retiring chairman
Of the Foreign Relations Committee and
the leading exponent in the Senate of
the Wilson covenant of the League OF
Nations.
According to the story being told in
Washington the Hitchcock candidacy IL
more than report and has a decidedly
tangible basis of which the Senator him
self Is not unaware. Presenting, Of
course, that Mr. Wilson himself Is not
candidate, there are Democrats high
in the party who are expected to urge
President Wilson TO give Mr. Hitchcock
his support
AS Viewed at present. there is hardly
any man who has been mentioned with
the exception OF ex-Secretary McAdoo,
son-in-law Of the President, and Secre-
tary Baker. who is taken seriously by
the politicians. Mr.. McAdoo by retir-
ing from public life at the time NJ did
Is not believed to have helped his
chances Of getting the Democratic nomi-
nation, and among many of his ac-
quaintances his retirement was taken
to Indicate that he did not intend to
seek the nomination.
Mr.. Baker long ago was considered q
possible candidate, particularly since
Mr.. Wilson has consistently backed his
administration OF the War Department
and referred to him as the best public
official he ever had known. For the
last few months though. II has not been
believed here that Mr.. Baker would be
in the race. OF late. however, reports
have come from Ohio that Mr. Baker
has informed his political friends in Ohio
not to stand quietly by and see Gov.
James NJ. Cox, who also is generally
said to be In the race, corner all
Ohio delegates.
The Hitchcock candidacy Is going
ahead by easy stages even now. Early
in the Wilson Administration Senator
Hitchcock was vigorous critic OF the
Administration and he and William J.
Bryan have been political enemies in
Nebraska for mary years
About the time former Senator Stone
tMo), then head OF the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee declined further
to follow Mr.. Wilson in his fight to have
Congress pass the armed neutrality bill
Senator Hitchcock began to appear as
an Administration leader. He led the
| fight for that measure and he was the
man who nosed out Senator La Toilette
in the dramatic closing hours of the
session that preceded the nations en-
| the trance into the war. when the armed
neutrality bill failed because of the fill
buster Mr.. La Toilette and the little
band Of wilful men" conducted.
Since then Mr.. Hitchcock seldom has
been off the reservation. He has made
several speeches critcislng the War De
partment, but for the most part has beer
| behind the President
When the first League of Nations GOV.
enant was announced Mr.. Hitchcock i'm
mediately became its leading Senatorial
! defender. He has asserted many time.
| he, would vote for 1t without the dottinl