Evening star., 1927-10-26
Politics at Large
By G.. Could Lincoln.

more Efforts nave Deen maze Dy tne
Progressive group of Republicans in
the Senate to get together on a West
ern legislative and political program,
including farm legislation. The re.
suits of these efforts to date. how
ever, have been the selection of Sen
ator George Norris OF Nebraska as
the presidential preference of the
group and the failure of the group
to get behind any farm program
soidly.
Mr.. Norris is the logical Progressive
candidate. the members of the group
insist. His record on measures that
have come before Congress makes him
essentially so. He has been favorable
to the McNaryHaugen bill, among
others. Senator Rorah of Idaho, who
has been a prime mover in the or.
ganization of the Progressive group
has been an opponent of the equaliza
ton fee of the McNary- y-Haugen bill,
There have been hopes on the part
of some of the Progressives that Mr.
Borah. able debater. would take the
leadership actively on the floor for
the Progressives at the coming ses
sion. But il he is not ready to con
form to the wishes of the other mem
bers of the group in regard to agri
cultural legislation and that leglsla
ton is to he the main issue of the
West in the coming session. how Is
Mr.. Borah TO assume that leadership:
That is the matter which is puzzlinc
the group members. SO far they have
not been able to find a middle ground
upon which to stand.
II Mr.. Borah became actually the
leader of the group of Republican
now holding the balance of power ir
the Senate. it might have far-reachine
effects politically. 1T might bring
about a strong demand that Mr.. Borat
himself get into the race for the Re
publican nomination for President
That Is what has been in the back OF
the mind of some of the Progressives
So far nothing has come of it. Seem
ingly the first hurdle which the Boraf
supporters must take is found in the
agricultural question.
The candidacy of Senator Norris
for the presidential nomina ton. If il
can be called such in view of Mr.
Norris repeated assertions he is not a
candidate. is causing extreme pain tC
friends of former Gov. Frank o. Low
den of Illinois. They see Mr.. Norris
gathering in the delegations from
possibly Minnesota, which had beer
counted upon for the Illinois man.
This situation naturally does not
cause any grief to the more regular
Republicans. They are perfectly will
ing to see a division of the so-calleo
"revolt" territory between Lowder
and Norris They believe that such
a division can result only in strength
ening their own position in the Re
publican national convention.
Gov. McMullen of Nebraska has
called Senator Borah severely to task
charging that the group in the Senate
is breaking down the supposedly solid
front of the farm States of the West
in their political aspirations. MIR
Borah has dema anded of Gov. McMul
len whether he is for or against Sen
ator Norris for President. And the
governor very pertinently has asked
Mr.. Borah how far he is willing t'
follow Senator Norris. IL elected Presi
dent, in support of the McNary
Haugen bill. 1t all comes back to the
fact that the West Is by no means
solid in it's demand for that character
of legislation.
Senator Fess of Ohio. having de
clared that President Coolidge verbally
spa anked him during his recent Whlte
House visit, for his repeated asser
tions that Mr.. Coolidge would be
drafted for the presidential nomina
tion. later admitted that the drubbins
Thnn former
Gov. Henry Allen of Kansas called
upon the President and told him tha
the people of Kansas would like tC
have him drafted, too. According tt
reports of that interview. the Presi
dent merely smiled and talked of the
crops out in Kansas.
The original Fess interview, giver
as he was leaving the White House
gained the widest circulation. how
ever. as of ma ior political significance
1t has been deemed another spike ir
the proposal of many of Mr.. Cool
idge's friends that he be drafted fol
the nomination.
X X X
Nevertheless. there persists in man,
quarters a feeling that Mr.. Coolidge
should be drafted. Friends of the
this part of the country are laying
particular stress on the need of carry
ing New York New Jersey and Con
necticut, not to mention Massachu
setts, i'm the general election next year
They are saving that there are only
two men with whom they can be sure
of carrying these states IL the Demo
Gratis nominate Gov. AL Smith of New
York, The first is President Coolidge
and the second is Charles Evans
Hughes of New York. The present
strategy of these gentlemen is to oh
tain as many delegations for
Mr.. Hughes as possible. If al
the convention it becomes pos
sible to draft President Coolidge
these delegations win flop to the Presi
dent. If. either because the President
will not or because the Republican
leaders have become convinced that
the President really. eliminated him
self by his statement in the Black
Hills and the convention would not
agree to his nomination, it becomes ap
parent that he cannot he drafted. ther
the big drive win be for the nomina
ton of Mr.. Hughes. This they hope
to accomplish
If the Democrats do not nominate
Gov. Smith, or If. rather. it becomes ap
parent they will not nominate him
then the situation will materially
change For no other Democrat, the
Republican leaders feel, would have a
chance of carrying New York, New
Jersey or Connecticut. Under such
circumstances. the Republican leader
ship might more readily turn to a
Westerner. il he were considered
Sound" from the Eastern point OF
view. in order to placate the farm
States of the West. In that event the
prospects OF Herbert Hoover, Secre
tary of Commerce, would grow
brighter.
X \ \
Without saying in so many words
that he would seek the Ohio delega.
ton to the Republican national con.
vention next year, Senator Frank
r. Willis. after a visit to the White
House. gave the distinct impression