The Washington times., 1924-05-26
COOL DGE
T0DRAFT
PLANKS
Platform Taken Up With Ad-
Visors-Faces Problem in
Selection Of Running Mate
By GEORGE E. DURNO,
international News Service.

international News Service.
Entering into the pre-convention
Aomestretch with a virtually
unanimous nomination at Cleve-
land assured, President Coolidge
settled down with his advisors to-
day to dispose Of three exceed
ingly difficult tasks-the building
Of a platform to fit the candi-
dcte, and the selection, first, Of
q man to place the President in
nomination, and second, choice Of
Q running mate. OF the three
problems, the platform building
lids fair to be the most difficult.
SOino Lack Of Harmony.
Developments Of the past month
have evidenced a certain lack Of
harmony between the standard
his Republican colleagues in the
ment on certain planks rather
hard.
The Coolidge nominator probably
win be chosen this week. Several
names have been suggested with
Senator Borah Of Idaho taking first
rank. Borah, however, has indi.
Gated that he might not even be
ct the Cleveland convention in
view Of the bitter fight In his
home State, and therefore the job
may go to some other sufficiently
progressive Republican-possibly AL.
bert J. Beverage Of Indiana.
There have been some intimations
from the White House that Presi.
dent Coolidge would sit back and
permit the convention to select his
running mate, hoping only that the
man would come from West OF
the Mississippi.
The recent visit to Washington
Of ex-senator BeverIdge at the
express invitation Of the President.
coupled with certain tacit inquiries
as to the acceptability Of Judge
William S. Kenyon Of Iowa woulti
seem to indicate otherwise, how
ever.
Beverage Has Foes.
BeveridGes 1t 10 thought. would
not be chosen because of the open
fight in Indiana between him and
Postmaster General New and the
general antipathy Of Senator Wat.
SON of the same State.
Kenyon has been frowned upon
BY many Eastern Republicans as
ominently unsuitable because Of al.
legged radical leanings.
There is a large field to pick
from, however, including Congress
man Dickinson, Of Iowa, Governor
Hyde, of Missouri, Governor Groes.
beck, of Michigan, and others Of
the West, and thus the President
may choose potential Vice Presi.
dent with finicky care.
Returning to the first problem,
that Of the platform. Coolidge back.
ers are settling down for a hard
fight.
Secretary G. Bascom Slemp will
be on hand at Cleveland to speak
for the President, and unless much
%eoman work is performed in
Washington by June he may
have to speak in loud but firm
voice.
Republican insurgents under the
leadership Of Senator La Toilette
Of Wisconsin, are prepared to fight
Tor a few platform plankS Of theiH
own particular liking, though moi
OF anybody else'S, while some OF
the regulars in the Old Guard OF
late have crossed the President on
policy.
Revenue Bill q Test.
Much will depend upon the Presi
dents action on the new revenue
bill which viii be placed before
him this week.
With taxation in line as one OF
the outstanding issues Of the com
ing campaign, a veto, in conform
9nce with the advice Of Secretary
Mellon and certain ''bitter- enders'
Tor the Mellon plan in Congress
would result In q unique situation
Staunch Administration leaders
including Senators Lodge of Massa
chusetts, Smoot Of Utah, and ReeC
OF Pennsylvania, favor the compro
mise bill, ana It probably would be
passed over veto.
Such action, however, would pro
duce a wide ana gaping split in
the Republican party on taxation
That would be hard to mend.
Whether the outcome is sigma
Sure or veto, spokesman for thu
President have indicated that thu
White House will seek to make tn,
Ana,,A - 49, NRnpnA~n ~.1~~