Evening star., 1924-06-01
VICE PRESIDENTIAL POST
NOW WORRIES POLITICIANS
Both Republicans and Democrats Are
Casting E yes About for
Suitable Timber
BY &. GOULD LINCOLN.

BY q. GOULD LINCOLN.
ME selection Of running mate
for Calvin Coolidge on the
Republican ticket is giving
the party leaders some con-
Germ. The nomination of a vice pres
idential candidate and the adoption
of platform are about an that the
Republican national convention which
| assemblies in Cleveland June 10 will
have to do, outside of putting its
formal seal of approval on the nomi-
nation Of President Coolidge as the
standard bearer.
A who's who" for the Republican
nomination for Vice President, if
written today, must contain a large
number OF names-almost as large,
for example, as list Of the candi-
dates for the Democratic nomination
for President 1t is reasonable to sup
pose, however, that Mr. Coolidge will
have quite bit to do with the selec-
| tion, finally, of the man who is to be
on the Republican ticket with him,
and before the voting in the conven-
tion takes place the party leaders will
be fully informed.
Men Most Suggested.
The names that are heard most fire.
quently today, most persistently, in
connection with the Republican vice
presidential nomination are those of
Senator Borah of Idaho. former Gov.
Lowden of Illinois and Secretary Hoo
yer of the Department of Commerce
who halls from California All are
from the west or middle west For
| if there is anything today certain
| about the nomination for Vice Presi-
dent by the Republicans, it is that no
| easterner will be seriously consid-
cred. With a New England man as
| the nominee for President, it is felt
| that the ticket must be geographical
ly balanced by picking a man from
the west. So strongly is this felt that
| no man from the eastern states has
even been mentioned for the place
| Furthermore, this man from the west
must be popular with the western
| farmers, must make some appeal to
| the progressive element of the west
il possible. That progressive element
must be reckoned with seriously If the
Republicans are to bring home the
bacon next November. Not unnatur-
ally the more conservative element IN
the Republican party would be will
| ing to see picked a man whose pro-
| gressiveness is not more than skin
deep, however.
Senator Bornh Favored.
But to get back to the three mos,
prominently mentioned men for the vice
presidential nomination. 1t is no secret
that Republicans close to the President
would be delighted to see Sena tor Borah
nominated. He would be, h fact, a
great asset to the ticket. AS a COM
paigner, as a national character, as a
progressive, Senator Borah would fit in
just the right place. But Senator Borah
while he will support the candidacy OF
President Coolidge for reelection has
not been in sympathy with much that
the administration has favored. The
Idaho senator has been particularly a
critic of the foreign policy. AS Vice
|
that he would be of the administration
but not in harmony with it. His voice
which as senator has been potent on
public questions, would be hushed as
Vice President. In other words, the
question arises as to whether Senator
Borah cannot perform a greater public
service by remaining senator.
While Senator Borah himself has said
nothing for publication as to whether he
would or would not accept the nomi-
nation, his friends are emphatic in say
ing that he would not consider it.
There is a strong group Of Republi-
cans who would like to see former Gov
Frank Lowden Of Illinois on the ticket
with Mr.. Coolidge. Gov. Lowden was
at one time a member of the House;
later he was Governor of Illinois, and
his administration was highly regarded
At the Republican national convention
four years ago, he was one Of the fore
most contenders for the nomination fol
President More recently still he ha6
been head of the National Wheat Coun-
Gil, an organization which is working tc
build up cooperative organizations
through which the farmers may market
their wheat to best advantage, but
through private organizations instead
of government. He has himself beer
interested in farming on a large scale
for many years. Reports here are thai
he is growing in favor with the farmers
of the middle west. But whether he has
a sufficient progressive ttnge to meet
the requirements for the nomination is
another matter.
Doubt Of Aoceptanee.
Failing to nominate Gov. Lowdan,
many of the Republicans would well
come the nomination of Herbert
Hoover, Secretary of Commerce, who
also was a candidate for the Repub-
lican nomination for President in
1920, who had a host of friends
throughout the country but who had
no delegates to speak on the floor OF
the convention. Some question Is
| raised as to whether either Gov. Low:
den or Secretary Hoover would az
cept tho nomination. But, on the
other hand, there Is a strong feeling
that tho man who occupies the vice
presidential chair, If the Republican
ticket is successful and the resulting
administration proves acceptable, will
be in a strategic position when it
comes to nominating a successor of
President Coolidge.
Others who have been suggested as
vice presidential timber include Sen
ator Watson of Indiana, who was in