The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1923-10-23
.Pinchot Is.
Y lrt ally
Candidate
Aspect of Taft-Roosevelt
Break in 1924 Race Over
Dry Law Enforce
ment.
Up to Coolidge to Act
BY MARK SULLIVAN

ing the developments about prohibi
ton during the past week, IL you
stay within safe limits, about all you
can say is that there has arisen the
makings of a parallel to the Taft
Roosevelt fight Of 1912. But in say
ing this. If exaggeration is to be
avoided. emphasis must be laid or
several exceptions to the parallel. The
Coolidge-Pinchot situation, whatever
viii not go to the length Of Pinchot
leading third party. II there is
any third party next year, its leader
will be Henry Ford, and even that
outcome cannot yet be described as
probable.
1t is not even certain yet that Pin
chot is or will be candidate against
Coolidge for the republican nomina
ton. When reporters discuss that
point with Pinchot's personal sup
porters, and with the church lead
ers whose spokesman he has made
himself, all they say Is that Pinchot
will be a candidate unless Coolidge
provides enough action-not enough
assurance. but enough accomplished
action-to satisfy those who demand
stricter enforcement OF the prohibi-
ton law
Pinchot Candidate Now.
Such an attitude as this carries less
doubt to experienced politicians than
it does to the public generally. When
l..
a contingency 1t Is the experience Of
politicians that the contingency usual
ly arises. The verdict of most Of the
republican leaders who have been dis
cussing Iss. weeks happenings is ex-
pressed by saying:
VIII Pinchot rum Shucks, he's
running right now"
So far as his own state Of Pennsyl-
vania goes. It Is fact that Pfnchot
lis already candidate. II is known
in Washington that few weeks
ago a republican leader whose posi-
ton gave him authority to act ap-
preached Pinchot and asked him to
refrain from taking any hand in the
choosing of delegates from PennsyI-
vania and to let the delegation
be either uninstructed. or else in
structed for Coolidge.
As reported in Washington Pinchot
refused on the ground that 1t has
been the custom of Pennsylvania to
instruct its delegates for the COVER
nor of the state. This was done in
the case of Governor Sproul in 1920
and Governor Brunbaugh in 1915 To
depart from the custom now would
be such a departure as would imply
doubt of Pinchot's standing in his
own state.
Deserves First Ballot.
This is felt by Pinchot's friends
within the state to be thing they
cannot permit. Under this set Of
facts the situation is that so far as
Pennsylvania Is concerned Pinchot
Is candidate for the states so del
egates TO the extent OF a complimen.
tary ballot at least. The next move
is up to the friends OF Coolidge
II they refuse TO consent that
-Pinchot as governor has a right to
at least the honorary disposition OF |
the Pennsylvania delegation. there
will be a fight. in which fight Pinchot |
probably will get about half the del
egates. II the friends OF Coolidge and
the other Pennsylvania republican
leaders who oppose Pinchot do not
make fight, then. In that event, of
course. Pinchot will control all or
substantially all of the delegates.
Outside OF Pennsylvania the situa- |
tion Is still in the making. But II |
is hard to look upon the amount Of |
sentiment that supports Pinchot's |
position about prohibition without |
concluding that ultimately Pinchot's |
name will be put in the race on a |
nationwide basis. II is true that this |
Pinchot sentiment Is quite unorgnn>l
lied in any practical political sense: |
but there Is still plenty OF time for |
that.
There remains seven months and |
two weeks before the republican nom. |
mating convention. Any date during |
the next three months will be time |
enough for the pinchot movement TO |
crystalize on formal politicsl lines |
Pinchot today is nearer to being an |
avowed candidate than was Roose- |
welt against aft Mt the analogous
date In 1911. II was in fact the
middle of February less than four
months before the convention. that
Roosevelt actually made the formal
gesture OF throwing his hat in the
ring.
Coolidge Must Please Drys.
Coolidge's position IL similar 10
Tafts in that the opposition to him.
as expressed In the pinchot move.
ment. Is based less on any specific
actions than on failure to satisfy
a sentiment that is widespread in the
country. What the critics demanded
from Taft. and what the critics now
demand from Coolidge, Is a mental
attitude.
II is hard TO see how Coolidge. even
II he should try very hard. can ae-
complish enough I'm the short space
OF two or three months To satisfy
those who have become 80 stirred up
In their zeal for effective enforce
ment. What the church people are
demanding II ,hat Coolidge shnll have
| lrurn 10 rago Two. Column rIsc.l