The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-12-17
HI JOHNSON AND
COOLIDGE BOTH IN
INDIANA PRIMARY
Fight Is Assured and Cali
fornian Thinks He Can Win
In HooSier State.

By Times Special
WASHINGTON, Dec. Ex-senator
Hiram Johnson today, punctured one
of the stories about Republican cam
paign plans for Indiana.
ct am going into Indiana" he said
with finality. Make it as strong as
you wish. Nothing can keep me out
OF the State"
The fight is assured now. The only
question today is whether Hiram will
have two opponents in the Indiana
primary, Senator Jim" Watson and
President Coolidge, Whether he has
one or both Of them, Hiram thinks
he can win, and there are a good
many Republicans who believe like
wise
The story has been circulated the
Coolidge and Watson boomers thought
It might be a fine bit Of craftsmanship
to have no Republican presidential
fight in the primary. No candidate
would file under this plan and the In
diana delegation to the Republican
convention would be more or less free
Pleasant Pipe Dream
1t was a wonderfully pleasant pipe
dream, but It did not take Hiram into
consideration. And Hiram has on his
fighting clothes now and because Of
his alliance with Governor Pinchot IF
Pennsylvania, he must be taken Sc
riously. The Hiram boom has net
awakened any of that old religious
fervor Of 1919-as yet-but Hiram has
not begun.
And this Watson stuff IS getting
more attention. Those who were dis
posed to laugh at the perennial Jim
fear him or his ambition. Some of
Jim's friends are talking about a cam
paign fund. and that is serious.
All Watch Other Fellow
Out Of the weller of Republican Cos
sip which came with the meeting Of
the Republican national committee
came some conclusions. as follows:
The Republican mess is becoming
worse. and will not be cured until
either Watson or Postmaster General
New or Jim Goodrich becomes strong
enough TO clean things up. AS It is
now. they are all watching the other
fellow. with Watson and Goodrich am
bilious for higher political honors and
New anxious to get control Of the
party machinery to rebuild the organ
izatiOn.
If Watson goes into the Indiana
primary he will do so 10 serve Wat
son and not to serve Coolidge. Wat
son continues to insist on that con-
struction and Coolidge is more than
glad TO recognize that fact
Cf-oT{zrro
primary with the backing of New.
Goodrich F'Iirts With Bee
Goodrich is charged with flirting
with the vice presidential bee again
and incidentally with playing his own
game into the White House.
Watson is about the only Repub-
lican leader who thinks that Watson
would have an easy time cleaning up
Hiram Johnson Others think John
son would have a fifty-hfty chance to
whip Watson.
That is just an index to the Re
publican troubles.
New is for Coolidge, one hundred
per cent New is for Watson about
one-half Of 1 per cent. New has the
ear OF the Coolidge managers. but he
is not as strong with them as he was
with President Harding and his ASST
ciates.
Even Money Bet
Here is the situation Coolidge and
New face.
II Watson stays out and the fight IS
between Coolidge and Hiram, it IS an
even money bet although at this time
the Republicans feel Coolidge would
squeeze through with majority of
the delegates.
II Watson and Coolidge and Hiram
go into the primary, the chances are
Watson and Coolidge will divide the
regular and conservative Republican