The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-02-23
". C. NJ 'ADOO
IS. RECEPTIVE
BUT DICN|F|ED
Friends of Secretary of Treas
ury Confident-Wave Aside
All Opposition as Unimpor-
tant.
PALMER ONLY, FEARED
By DAVID LAWRENCE.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 23-Wllllam
Gibbs McAdoo says he isn't candi-
date for the presidency, but will ac-
cept the nomination. He will not per
NIT his name to go on the presidential
preference ballots. but his friends will
continue to work for him. He will
have no organization or headquar-
ters and will not engage in contro-
versy with other candidates. Yet he
will serve if chosen.
Were this normal year in presi-
dental politics, the McAdoo method
of approach to the presidency would
be distinctly novel, more so indeed
,han the Hoover method. But from
friends of Mr.. McAdoo in the national
capital one gets a true impression of
what the former secretary of the
treasury has in mind First of all, he
is represented as feeling that it would
be undignified for him to go out and
TEND to be an active candidate in any
sense. He will be pa ssively receptive,
that's all.
"FamiIy" Question Answered.
OF course, there is no concealing
the fact that opposition to Mr.. McAdoo
among Democrats is based to some
extent on the theory that he might
be unacceptable to the country be-
cause of his family rela tionship to
President Wilson.
To this the McAdoo men make ans
wer thus: McAdoo was one of the
managers of the Wilson campaign in
1912 and was selected TO be secretary
of the treasury because of his ability
shown in large business enterprises.
He had already helped in the draft
ing of the present federal reserve act
and made a record as secretary of the
trea Sury when he married the preSi-
dents daughter.
This, therefore, the friends of Mr..
McAdoo assert, was an incident in his
career which has nothing to do with
his political status They contend that
as a member of the cabinet he fire.
quently argued with the president and
openly expressed his differing opin-
ions. But their main faith is that no
man ever suffered in politics from at
tack based on personal grounds that
were inherently unobjectionable.T Their
candidate will be accepted or reject
ed at San Francisco on other counts.
All Others Waved Aside.
1t is interesting in talking to some
OF these McAdoo supporters-and
..some of them have high official posi-
tions in the government--tO find how
easily they seem to eliminate all the
other candidates for the. Democratic
nomination. Mr.. Hoover, they insist,
has eliminated himself by expressing
innocence of any party affiliation and
to get a Democratic nomination an in
dividual must in their opinion have
been a Democrat at least as far back
as 1912 though he might be forgiven
in, tho hot A.,
for Governor Cox. the McAdoo people
think he is unfortunately on the
wrong side of the prohibition ques-
ton and will not be a strong conten-
der.
Senator Pomerene of Ohio has al
ready withdrawn from the race. Mr..
Bryan, say the McAdoo disciples,
doesn't really want the nomination for
himself bur wants to have the pleas
ure Of dominating the convention.
The big question is whether or not
Mr.. Bryan will be a delegate. Ne
hraska in all probability will settle
that in the negative very soon.
Palmer Most Feared
Admittedly, A. Mitchell Palmer is
the most powerful opponent of Will
liam Gibbs McAdoo. Both are strong
Wilson followers, but among the Nc.
t.doo men, one hears serious doubts
expressed as to the attorney generals s
availability because of his unhappy
contact with union labor in the coal
strike.
In contrast there is pointed out the
record Of the former director general
of railroads, who gave the railroad
brotherhoods square deal and per
& haps ever more sympathetic treat
: ment in the matter of wages than
they have received from the hands OF
anybody else in the Wilson admins
tration. The idea seems to be that
the brotherhoods will not forget and
that labor generally will be affected
by the contagion Of brother McAdoo's
zeal for the cause of the workingman
To hear it from McAdoo boosters
the former secretary of the treasury
will commend himself to the Demo
cratic convention because of a series
of acts which, however devoid of po
ltical intent they may have beer
while he was in office, can not but
be counted upon to get votes.
Mr.. McAdoo. it is insisted. worked
hard for women suffrage. and did a
great deal for the soldiers by fatherine
the war risk insurance act; helped
business by his part in the Federal
reserve act as well as in the smooth
operation of the federal reserve sys
tenn; did his part in moving crops
when the farmers needed money, put
the rural credits law into runnins
order and did lot toward urging g
firm policy in handling Germany, anc
did his share in fighting the war
Has Won Many Friends.
The philosophy of the McAdoo group
seems to be that the Democratic con
vention will choose candidate who
has the largest potential strength ir
the matter of vote-getting. Thus is
Mr.. McAdoo trotted out as the FRIEND
of the suffragists, the farmers, the
soldiers. the union labor organizations
the business men and bankers of the
country, and the advocates of Am
ericanism.
On one thing, however, the McAdot
candidacy will not be ambiguous
Others may say, as Mr. Bryan ha: