Evening star., 1920-03-02
DEMOCRATIC POT"
SET TO BOILING BY
PALMER'S ACTION
Politicians Here Are Inclined
to Think That the Lid
Has Been Lifted.
By N. o. MESSENGER.

Has the administration lid" on
presidential candidates been lifted"
and the democratic political pot set
TO simmering?
Democratic politicians in Washing
ton were disposed today to find affir-
native answer to this question in the
formal announcement of A. Mitchell
Palmer to the Georgia democratic
state committee that he is a candi-
date for the democratic nomination
for the presidency.
NO other conclusion could they draw
from this action. it was declared, in all
the circumstances of the case. They
recalled the long silence which has
been maintained by democrats sug-
sested for the presidential candidacy.
and the prevailing opinion that this
interregnum in activity, the while the
republican candidates were working
like beavers everywhere, was due to
uncertainty as to how the White
House might feel over the launching
or booms. Democrats hesitated to
announce themselves and their friends
were loath to push their booms, mean
while.
1t was assumed by the politicians
who discussed Mr.. Palmers official en-
try into the race that he would not
do so unless it were entirely accepta-
BILE to President Wilson and the ad-
ministration. 1t has been known for
months that his candidacy would be
agreeable to the national party lead
ers. Now. with tie acquiescence, to
say the least, deduced II not an
nounced. of President Wilson. poll
ticians think that Mr.. Palmer will be
regarded as the administration IA
vorite-for the present, anyhow.
VIII Assemble Forces.
His candidacy, it was said, will fur
nish a nucleus around which to gath
er administration forces and influ-
ence, In the selection of delegates to
the national convention at San Fran
cisco. The value of such a nucleus is
almost incalculable, old politicians
agree.
They say that this will mean the
rounding up of all the vast and po-
tential influence of the administration
patronage for the candidate an
nounced: that 1t will serve notice on
democratic federal employees and on
workers everywhere to get back of
along.
When the delegates who are chosen
in response to this movement are as
sembled at San Francisco they will
form solid political asset. firmly
under administration control and to
10 uScu do necessities may
require. 1t will be a standing men,
ace to and a bulwark and bar against
Mr.. Bryan's forces and will consti-
tute mobile. organized and definite
political entity.
This was not generally taken to
preclude the launching Of other can
didacies. There is Gov. Cox OF Ohio.
who 10 already in the field, and other
democrats may, be. expected it was
said. to come out from time to time
There will be "favorite sons; there
will be candidates representing the
anti-Wilson sentiment, If such there
are, and all that.
Have Standard Bearer.
But the outstanding fact is recog-
nized to be that the administration
men and the democrats who still pro-
fess loyalty to the national organiza-
ton. as opposed to the Bryans, the
Edwardses and the others. now have a
standard bearer around whom to
rally. And in this feature of the
case Mr.. Palmer's formal announce
ment of his candidacy is regarded as
of paramount Importance politically.
The first result is expected to be
Immediate activity among the party
machine workers In all the states
in the direction of securing instructed
delegations for Mr.. Palmer, or. at
the least, preventing instructions for
other candidates and seeing to 1t that
men are put on the delegations who
are "amenable to reason" and to sug
gestions from the national managers
and the administration.
1t was said by democrats today that
Mr.. Palmer's formal entrance into the
presidential nomination contest will
be welcomed by those who are not
favorable to the suggestion Of Her
bert Hoover as the democratic nomi-
nee. 1t has been found that the i'm
preston. however circulated. prevails
in many sections that Mr.. Hoover is
regarded with favor by President
Wilson as a possible selection.
Argument Against Hoover.
Democratic politicians who do not
want to see Mr.. Hoover nominated
will find ready argument to discour-
tive delegates, it was declared, fol-
lowing the Palmer action.
1t is true that some democrats do
not regard Mr.. Palmer as promising
to be the strongest man at the polls.
in case of his nomination. Those
who hold to that opinion fear that
his pronounced views favoring prohi-
bition, his run in" with organized
labor, his administration of the alien
custodian property bureau and other
may weaken him with cer-
tain classes of the voters.
But that, they say. is question
to be determined in the last analysis
when the convention meets and the
are up for final inspec-
ton Of the judges. The important
to the politicians. for
all present purposes. is said to be
that here, at last, the democratic
party has a candidate for the nomi-
alton with definite party indorse-
ment and standing; a man who has
pack of him the party organization
and the administration, supposedly.
The first thing, these democrats
say, is to get an important block of
delegates at San Francisco, chosen
inder administration auspices, and
who can be depended upon to follow
wishes, even in case
The final Judgment of the convention
warrants turning to some other can
didate.