Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-09
The Republican Situation.


nounced that he did not choose" to run
for President in 1928 Momentarily
Republican party leaders were stun.
ned. SO confident had they been of the
denomination Of the President. Within
the last seven days, however, it has
been borne in upon them that the
President has definitely rejected the
honor which might have been his for
/ the taking. And with the growth of
this conviction, party leaders have be-
| gun to con over the points Of the
other presidential possibilities. They
have announced here and there for
Hughes, Hoover, Dawes, Lowden or
Longworth. But the real work of
selecting a Republican nominee for
job which the Republican rank and
file had regarded as already accom-
plished before Mr.. Coolidge's an.
nouncement.
| In some Democratic hearts, hope,
| which springs eternal, is fluttering up
ward. The thought of real struggle
in Republican ranks for party leader
ship and the presidential nomina-
ton makes them visualize the posi-.
bility of Republican Madison Square
Garden next year. They forget, how
ever, that there Is no deep-seated re-
| ligious issue, or wet and dry issue.
ready to tear at the vitals of the Re.
publican party. The probabilities are
| that once the G. o. P. has selected it's
nominee for President, the party will
| line up solidly behind him. Disap-
pointed personal ambitions will be
forgotten.
A little more than seven years ago
the Republican hosts gathered in the
old Coliseum in Chicago to select their
candidate for President. The field
was as large as it probably will be
next year. Three outstanding candi.
dates, the late Gen. Leonard Wood.
Senator Hiram Johnson and former
| Gov. Frank o. Lowden of Illinois, tied
up the convention for many ballots,
preventing a majority. Then came
the compromise and the nomination
of the late Warren G. Harding. 1t
is conceivable that with Hughes, Low.
| den, Dawes, Hoover and others in the
race next year. the convention may
be again temporarily deadlocked.
| Then what? The mention Of the name
of Coolidge on the floor Of the conven.
| ton under such circumstances might
we'll result in a stampede. Party lead.
ers have been convinced for q long
time that they can win with Cool
idge."
Friends of Secretary Hoover Of the
the achievements Of Mr.. Hoover turn
the limelight particularly upon him
as the probable nominee Of the Re-
publicans. On the other hand, in New
York, the Empire State, there is a
definite movement for the selection Of
Mr.. Hughes, former Associate JUS
tice of the Supreme Court. Secretary
Of State and Governor Of New York.
Mr. Hughes, they say, should be
| drafted If for no other reason than to
| keep New York in the Republican
column if Gov. Al Smith be the nom.
inee of the Democrats. From the
West come demands for Lowden and
Dawes, friends of the McNary-Haugen
farm relief bill. Presidential primaries,
beginning early next year. will be
watched with keenest interest, and
doubtless will be contested vigorously.
Speaker Longworth, hailing from
IOhio, strategically located. will have
his supporters in the next convention
The Democrats who have been
counting upon the so-called third
term" issue as their weapon Of Of
Tense in the coming campaign must
look for other ammunition. Mr.. Cool
idge has effectualIy wiped the third
term issue from the board, unless, in
deed. contingencies should finally
force his nomination. The farm prob
lem. too. is in a fair way to be solved
SO far as legislation can solve 1t, al
the coming session of Congress. Mr.
Coolidge, it appears, by his decision
not to run for President, has cut the
ground from under the feet of the
Democrats without much disturbing
the chances Of success Of his own
party.