Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-12-05
HOOVER INSPIRED
IN SAYING HARDING
IS 1924 CANDIDATE
Secretary Is Main Reliance
of President and Voiced
View of Other Cabinet
Members in Interview
By DAVID LAWRENCE
Ueased Wire Service to The JournaL)
(COpyright 1922

Geased Wire Service to The Journal)
Copyright, 1927
WASHINGTON, Dec. 4.-SeCretary
HooVcr's remark in an interview on
the Pacific coast that President Har-
ding "obvicusly will be the candi-
date in 1924 was hardly a casual
observation. Other members of the
cabinet here feel the same way.
For some time outside of Wash
ington there has been an idea that
in Mr.. Hardtns's cabinet sat at least
two or three potential candidates for
the presidency, namely Secretaries
Hoover. Weeks and Hughes. All
three have figured prominently in
the presidential campaigns OF 1916
and 1920 and their friends are no less
enthusiastic for them today.
But Mr.. Hoover stated a truism-
if Mr. Harding wishes to run again,
he is the logical candidate. The Re
publican party can hardly risk a
public Reputation of its own admin,
istration by denying a second term
to the very man who had been at the
head of that administrators Champ
Clark was at one time in much the
same position as Mr.. Hoover. The
venerable speaker of the house had
nearly won the nomination in 1917
and was looked upon by many Of
his admirers as a certain candidate
for 1916, but he dismissed the idea
with q wave Of the hand, declaring
that if Woodrow Wilson had made Il
good president in the opinion of the
Democratic party he deserved to be
renominated ard if he had made a
poor record then the nomination
wasn't worth having
II0over's Meaning
That's precisely the meaning Of
Mr.. Hoovers comment. Ii Warren
Harding's administration ranks high
in the esteem of the Rer. olican par
ty-and Mr.. Hoover evidently thinks
so, because he is a vital part Of this
same Harding administratiOn--th
the party cannot 90 anything else
but nominate Mr.. Harding. Ii it
does not wish to do SO, it Will be
proof conclusive that the Harding
record isn't strong enough on which
any Republican candidate can hope
4 N-nn1l ,l,~
an empty honor.
There is, of course, a possibility
often discussed during the recent
campaign. that Mr.. Harding Will vol
unfairly withdraw and that he will
not seek the denomination, but Will
let it be known plainly that he
doesn't want to continue the arduouS
tasks and responsibilities of the pres
;dency. In such event there would
be little opportunity for the cry to
be raised that the Republican party
didn't wish to renOminate Mr.. Har-
ding and the field would be open to
any member of the cabinet.
Mr.. Hoover has had q rather Curl
Gus political experience. He did not
seek political attention in the first
place, but had thrust upon him an
overwhelming sentiment which COM
manded him to get into the contest.
He used to tell his friends that be-
cause he had no previous political
application of active kind it. was a
temporary wave of interest in him
which would surely pass. Neverthe-
less he did try to assist in bringing
a proper attitude toward public Ques-
tons and there was a time when he
believed his influence might be more
helpful if it were kept free from
partisan connection. That's why he
hesitated to declare himself as an
out andOut party man. Some of his
friends still think that was where he
made his cardinal mistake and that
had he been an ayowed Democrat or
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