Evening star., 1927-04-20
Politics at Large
By C. Could Lincoln.

The McAdoo boom for President is
at present in eclipse. Whether it re-
mains so up to and throughout the
Democratic national convention next
year is another matter. Unless the
opponents of Gov. Al Smith of New
York find some other rallying point,
- Y may eventually return TO Nc
70. Democrats are divided in their
iires to avoid another Madison
iuare Garden split in 1928 and to
prevent the nomination Of Gov. Smith,
a Catholic and wet. Seemingly Mr..
McAdoo is out of the picture. But
Gov. Smith, on tho other hand, is
very much in II today.
Mr.. McAdoo has studiously refrained
from talking politics for publication.
1t Is no secret, however, that he has
discussed the Democratic situation
with his friends for more than year.
During his recent visit to Washington
he conferred with number of friends
and admirers. II Is persistently re-
ported that he has for the time being
at least put out of his mind his own
candidacy for the Democratic nomina-
he has received little encouragement.
The Smith boom is a raging torrent.
His answer to the Marshall letter in
the Atlantic Monthly, calling upon
the governor to say whether he could
give his first allegiance in govern
mental matters to the Constitution
notwithstanding his membership in
the Catholic Church, has been given as
wide publicity as message or tne
President to Congress. Despite his
church connection and despite his
known opposition to national prohibit
ton, Gov Smith today is making all
the running in the preconVentlon
campaign. The drys in the party are
desperately opposed to his candidacy.
The opposition to him is as strong
because of his wet sentiments as be-
cause of his religious connection. lt
is not inconceivable that some emf
nent dry in his party will address to
him an open letter on the subject OF
prohibition, as Charles G. Marshall did
in connection with his church mem
bership. If such a series or questions
be put the governor on his views re-
garding the dry laws, much will hang
in the balance of his answer.
n X X
One of the most startling political
rumors-which spring up overnight
these days in Washington--is that
Senator James A. Reed of Missouri,
anti-Wilson, antiLeague of Nations,
is the preference of William Gibbs
McAdoo, the son-in-law of the late
President, as a compromise candidate
for the Democratic nomination.
compromise required, it is admitted,
to halt Gov. Smiths onward march
to the nomination. Mr.. McAdoo
would make no comment for publica-
tion on this report while he was here.
Some Of his friends insist that such
q report is premature, to say the
least, and others go so far as to say
that it has no basis in fact.
Senator Reed was sphinxlike when
the matter was mentioned to him. Nor
is it probable that Senator Reed
would welcome at this stage of the
game open support of Mr.. McAdoo.
He was outside the fight between Nc
Adoo and Smith at the 1924 conven-
ton. He has no desire to be involved
in that old fight now. 1t is we'll
understood that many of Reed 8
friends feel that If he Is to win the
nomination next year it must be with
the aid of many of the Smith dele
gates to the national convention of
1928. Reed, like Smith, is an oppo-
nent of national prohibition. AS chief
inquisitor during the Senate commit
tee inquiry into prohibition enforce
ment a year ago, he was a terrible
thorn in the side of the drys. The
open support of McAdoo now might
raise a barrier between Reed and the
Smith people which would be ditfi-
cult TO hurdle next year.
Secretary Kellogg of the State De-
partment will remain i'll the Presi-
dents cabinet at least until the close
of the present term of office, If his
health permits. This seems pretty
clear now, despite the repeated rumors
that he would retire. When he was
first appointed Secretary of State on
the retirement of Charles Evans
Hughes, 1t was reported that he
would remain only for year at most,
that his was a stop-gap appointment.
But to his intimateS at that time Mr..
Kellogg made 1t clear he expected to
finish out the Coolidge term in that
office. President Coolidge has made
it equally clear that he does not in
tend to disturb Mr.. Kellogg in his in
cumbency. The latest sensational re-
port-that Secretary Hoover of the
Department Of Commerce would be
appointed Secretary of State, displac-
ing Mr.. Kellogg-has been set at rest
by the President himself He wants
Mr.. Hoover at the head of the Depart
ment of Commerce.
d " -
If the President succeeds himself
for another four-year term, the make
up of his cabinet will be another mat
ter. Some of Mr.. Hoover's friends be-
lieve that he would not care to con-
tinue as Secretary of Commerce. AT
the close of the present Coolidge term,
Mr.. Hoover will have served eight
years at the head of the Department
of Commerce. He has done much for
that department. 1t has been reorgan-
lied and is functioning with great
efficiency. Mr.. Hoover's work there
will have been accomplished. If Mr..
Coolidge is again President after
March 4, 1929, it would not be i'm
probable that Mr.. Hoover might be
assigned to the State Department in
the new cabinet. He has wide grasp
of the foreign relations of this coun.
try. It is believed that he would
welcome such appointment. Nor is
the recent statement of the President
that Mr.. Hoover would not become
Secretary of State in the event of Mr..
Kellogg's retirement in the near
future because of ill health believed
a bar against such appointment in
1929. Mr.. Hoover has been in public
office ever since he became food ad-
ministrator during the World War.
1t Is understood that he has no am
bitions to return to business career.
Before he was food administrator he
had acquired wealth. His friends say
he has no particular desire to augment
his fortune to huge proportions.
II y y
Now comes news that Atlanta,
-. IL. ~