Evening star., 1926-12-18
BOOM FOR DONAHEY
LAUNCHED MILDLY
Ohio Governors 1923 EIigi-
biIity Above Smith or McAdoo
Seen by State Leader.
BY G.. GOULD LINCOLN.

The Donahey boom for President
has come 10 Washington, although SO
far 1t is a shrinking flower rather
than a bold, hat-in-thering affair.
While Thomas f. Dye, Democratic
State chairman of Ohio, in one breath
reiterates Gov. A. Vic Donahey's S
assertion that ne is not candidate
FOR the Democratic nomination for
President in 1928, in a second breath
he says:
II must be frank in saying, how
ever, that many inquiries have come
to me concerning him and | see more
or less general interest in the posi-
bility of his becoming a candidate.
Mr. Dye has been in Wa ngton
for several days. 1t would be strange
if he had not looked for some evi
,ience Of interest in Gov. Donahey
for President In 1923. Mr.. Dye was
tho campaign manager OF the Ohio
governor, who was reelected for
third consecutive term in the Buckeye
State last month. Mr.. Dye was honor
Guest at dinner given ny Repre-
sentative Martin Davey, Democrat,
Ohio, attended by members OF the
Democratic congressional campaign
committee and other Democratic
IAC tksAS OCSH HOiIAVACAASN
with Clem Shaver, chairman Of the
Democratic national committee, and
with many Democratic Senators.
D0nahey Seen Reserving Boom.
The report here is that Gov. Don.
ahey prefers to play a waiting game:
that he does not want to be trotted
out as a presidential possibility at this
time; that he has frowned upon this
move, in which Mr.. Davey has played
a part.
In their efforts to find a candidate
who can be nominated and prevent an
other devastating row between Gov
Al Smith and William Gibbs McAdoo
IN the 1928 Democratic national con-
Vention, Democrats could scarcely be
expected to overlook the Governor of
Ohio. Donahey, Honest Vic" has
been reelected in a State that usually
Is overwhelmingly Republican. He
holds a record for continuous service
as governor in that State. He Is a
dry, though not as Objectionable TO
some of the vets as others.
The dry Democrats are anxious not
only to head off the Smith cAdoo
row In 1928, but to prevent the nomi-
nation Of a wet Democrat other than
Smith--Gov. Ritchie of Maryland,
Senator Reed of Missouri or any
other. McAdoo's boom was launched
some weeks ago by former Secretary
of Agriculture Meredith Of Iowa as
the candidate about whom the dry
Democrats of the country would rally.
But the McAdoo boom has not ad-
vanced greatly. Many Of his old
friends dread a reopening OF the con-
flict Of 1924. They want a dry, but
they do not want to wreck the Demo.
cratic party from stem to stern again
II they can avoid It.. So why not
Donahey. who was not involved in the
struggle four years ago?
Some of the Southern Senators and
members of the House are talking
eagerly Of Donahey availability for
the presidential nomination. He has
supporters in North Carolina, some
of the Democratic leaders of the Tar
Heel State are looking into the
matter" He has already been in
dorsed by Senator Hefiin Of Alabama.
Not all the Democrats in Ohio favor
Donahey for President. some OF them
saying he does not measure up to the
qualifications needed in President.
They admit his honesty and his grip
on the people OF the State, but they
do not see him handling the affairs
of the Nation from the White House.
In a formal statement Mr.. Dye
analyses the inquiries that have
come TO him concerning Gov. Dona-
hey, and says.
These. inquiries lead me TO the
conclusion that they are the result
of a broad and growing conviction
on the part of Democrats through
out the country that some candidate
must and will be found who will
not revive the devastating contror
versies and prejudices of 1924.
Denies Smith Could Win.
II speak as Democrat who is in
terested in the Democratic party, not
from a purely partisan standpoint,
but because of the great historic
principles for which It stands, and
which it always represents when
false and irrelevant issues are not
injected into its councils by those
who have a selfish interest in some
particular man as against the wei
fare OF the party.
Personally, I am an admirer OF
Gov. Smith of New York and would
be glad to see him President. I am
also an admirer of Mr.. McAdoo. But
there Is a growing conviction that
both of these iliustrious Democrats
are impossible. 1t Is my firm belief
that neither Smith nor McAdoo could
be either nominated or elected. Either
man would divide the party irretrtev-
ably,
Some able and representativeDemo-
crat will be found on whom the party
can unite"