Evening star., 1924-07-18
La TOILETTE GROUP
CONVENES HERE TO
PICK RUNNING MATE
Selection May Not Be Made
Until Tomorrow in Face
of Difficulties.
FIELD OF II SCANNED.
BUT CHOICE is IN AIR
Campaign Fund Also Knotty
Problem-Ladd Promises Aid
to Ticket.

Senator La Follettc's independen:
candidacy for the presidency began TO
assume more definite outline today
when a group of his principal fol-
lowers gathered here to consider
plans for a fighting campaign.
A part of the task of the conference
was selection of a running mate for
the Wisconsin senator, but as the dis
cussions proceeded it became doubt
full whether that would be decided be-
fore tomorrow.
Objections have been interposed %
some of the men most prominently
under consideration for the vice pres
idential nomination, and the conferecs
put the problem aside for the mo
ment and went ahead with detailed
preparations for the campaign.
Under d tentative plan discussed,
headquarters for the La Toilette
movement would be opened in New
York, San Francisco and New Or
leans, all under the direction of the
central office in Chicago. so as I"
insure a. nationwide effort to bring
strength.
Candidate to Map Strategy.
AS a part of the general scheme Of
organiza ton, compact natlona!
committee, with a representative IN
every state, will be put to work
under the guidance of smaller
strategy board. over which Mr.. La
Toilette himself is expected to pre-
side Despite legal difficulties en-
countered in some places, the La
Toilette managers still hope to put
his name on the ballot in every state
The meeting here today was pri-
marily a gathering of the executive
committee of the Conference for Pro
gressive Political Action, which IN
dorsed Senator La Toilette at its
Cleveland convention earlier this
month In addition to the membe
of this committee. however, various
leaders in sympathy with the move
ment were called in with view to
perfecting an al-inclusive campaign
organization.
Candidate and Son Absent.
Neither Senator La Toilette nor his
son. Robert, jr., who has been IN ac-
tive charge of the earlier stages OF
his fathers candidacy, ATTENDED the
meeting The views of the candldate
on several subjects were presented.
however. by Representative John NJ
Nelson Of Wisconsin, one of the SEN
ator's chief lieutenants in his home
State. and by Basil Manley, associated
with Mr.. La Toilette in several po-
litical organizations.
The decision to delay selection OF d
vice presidential candidate was un-
derstood to have the full approval OF
Senator La Toilette, who recognized
the difficulties OF the situation ana
favored going ahead first with the
details of organization. 1t is eN-
nected. however that choice VIII
be announced before the conference
dissolves tomorrow night or Sunday.
Must Have Wide Appeal.
In their casting about for a run
ming mate for the senator. his sup
norters have sought to find a man
who would be equally acceptable u
organized labor and to agrlculture'
which constitute two of the prlnclpa'
eroups to which appeals will be MADE
for support.
The discussion has developed that
the views of these two groups nave
not ALWAYS run parallel in the past
and in some cases potential candi-
dates satisfactory to the labor leao-
ers are not considered sufhclentiS
sympathetic with the farmer, Whlle
the labor records of one or two o.
rho men endorsed by farm organiza-
tion spokesmen are not all that could
be desired.
Every confidence was expressed to-
dav nv all elements in the conference.
however. that it would be found pos
sible ultimately to light upon a can
didate whose attitude toward both
the farmer and the laborer could
not be questioned.
When it came to discussion OF par
ticular men, on the other hand, all
the conferees were extremely retIcent.
They said a dozen men stlil were
in the running, and declared EN-
nbatically that no approach TO q
definite selection had been made
Among those who have been under
consideration by Senator La Toilette
and his advisors are Associate Justice
Rrandeis of the Supreme Court, Huston
Thompson, chairman of the Federal
Trade Commission; John j. McSparren
master of the Pennsylvania State
Grange; Peter Wipp, one-time candi-
date for Mayor of Cleveland: James
Maurer, president of the Pennsylvania
State Federation of Labor; Gov. Sweet
of Colorado, Bishop Francis Mcconnell
of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Federal Judge George w. Anderson of
Boston and Senator Wheeler of Mon
tana
Wheeler Rejects Place.
Mr.. Wheeler, however, has eliminat ed
himself by announcing he would not
accept Endorsement, and while Justice
Brandeis is understood to be looked
on with particular favor by Senator
La Toilette. doubt was expressed to-
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