Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-22
''FAvOR|TE SONS"
TRAIL GOV. SMITH.
Reed, Donahey and Richie
Are in Running-Candi-
dates Grow ApaCe.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

FaVorite SON. candidates. for the
Democratic nomination for President
are sprnging up like mushrooms.
They are found in a score of States.
There is a reason.
Democrats who are anxious to avoid
devastating fracas over Gov. al
Smith and William Gibbs McAdoo,
like that Of 1924, are fostering the ia
vorite son idea, just to prevent the
Dledging of large blocs of delegates
to either of these storm centers be-
fore the convention gets underway.
If great number of delegates can
go to the next national convention un-
pledged to either of the major figures.
so much the better chance for some
kind of a peaceful settlement OF
Democratic difficulties and ambitions,
they say. Between Is and 20 favorlte
son candidates. are to be presented
to the next conventional this plan Is
carried out. Some of the favorite son
candidates will be serious contenders
for the nomination, but more of them
will be merely holding corporations.
Half for Favorites.
AS a result of the movement now
underway, it is believed that nearly
half the delegates to the convention
will go to that party gathering be-
hind favorite sons, or at least not
committed to any of the major can
didates. The movement is being
quietly fostered by responsible party
leaders. None of them expect to
avoid entirely a conflict in the Demo
cratic national convention. But they
believe with such a set up, the con-
vention will be in a better position to
iron out it's difficulties than If the
battle lines between McAdoo and
Smith were drawn absolutely, long
before the convention meets, with the
delegates divided into two camps.
A glance at some of the favorite
son candidates., already underway,
gives an idea of how extensive the
movement is. BY next Spring 1t is
believed the list will have been still
further swollen. AT present Ohio
Democrats are putting forward Gov.
Vic Donahey, Honest Vic" He may
be a real contender later. But at
present he is in the favorite son class.
Other Favorite Sons.
other favorite-son candidates are:
Indiana-Evans Woollen.
AdIlSeto- representative w Ah1niAA n.
Ayres.
Virginia-Gov. Harry Flood Byrd.
Maryland-Gov. Albert G. Richie.
North Carolina-Gov. Angus Nc
Lean
Texas-Gov Dan Moody.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Thomas j. Walsh.
Representative Cordell
Hull.
Mississippi-Senator Pat Harrison
Iowa-E. T. Meredith.
Nebraska-Former Gov. Charles w.
Bryan.
Arkansas-Senator Joseph T. Rob
inson
Missouri-Senator James A Reed.
Michigan-Senator w. n. Ferris.
Kentucky--Senator Alben W. Bark
ley.
Senator Reed of Missouri and Gov. |
Richie of Maryland. in addition to |
Gov. Donahey of Ohio, are more |
mentioned today for the |
than are some OF the |
other "favorite sons" Arkansas will |
either instruct its delegates for Sen +,
ator Robinson, the Democratic leader |
of the Senate, or for Senator Reed. |
There may be a shift to Senator Reed
in the Kansas Democracy, though
there is a faction there opposed to
him. The candidacy Of Mr.. Ayres
is not regarded as particularly mimi
cal to Reed, but merely to give the
Kansas delegation a chance to look
round after it gets to the convention.